Dish · portuguese
Francesinha
A layered sandwich of steak, cured sausage, and ham between bread, covered in melted cheese and a spiced beer-and-tomato sauce, usually served with fries on the side.
Where it comes from
The sandwich was created in Porto, adapted from the French croque monsieur by cooks who added Portuguese cured meats and a distinct sauce. The name means little Frenchwoman, a nod to that borrowed origin.
What cooks argue about
The real argument in Porto is the sauce: recipes vary widely on the beer-to-tomato ratio and whether to add piri piri, beer, or even whiskey, and each cafe tends to guard its own version.
Nobody has published a francesinha recipe yet. The page stays out of search until one exists, which is the rule for every thin page here.