Thursday, February 15, 2018

Focus on Portugal: Porto's quintessential Francesinha sandwich.



Memo to Joe Phillips.


Top 5 Francesinhas in Porto
 
(Taste Porto)

Francesinha means little French woman or simply frenchie in Portuguese. You may ask why the most iconic sandwich in our city is named after another country and we would have to say, good question. Though, I admit, it isn’t something we think about too much. Nevertheless, here is your history lesson: this dish was created by Portuguese emigrants to France, they encountered the french snack, the croque monsieur, and decided to take it to a whole new level, making it bigger, better and generally more delicious!

Usually, a francesinha is made with bread (the thicker the better), wet-cured ham, linguiça (a portuguese sausage), steak or roast beef, everything covered with melted cheese and a special tomato and beer sauce. Most times it’s served with a fried egg on top and french fries that you can dip in the sauce. Some places like to innovate by adding an extra ingredient, but what really makes the difference in the francesinha universe is the sauce. That said, in order to find your perfect match, patience and persistence, along with a pair of sweatpants is needed to undertake this food challenge.

What about the sauce? This recipe is all-inclusive.


Fear not; I'll let you know how it was.

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