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Cachorrinho

Cachorrinho: Porto's pressed, crisp-bread hot dog with melted cheese and spicy sauce

This is Porto's late-night snack, born in the bars around the Praça dos Poveiros in the 1960s and still eaten standing at the counter after a football match. A thin sausage goes into a slim roll with cheese, the whole thing is toasted flat in a press until it shatters, then cut into bite-sized pieces and doused in a hot, tangy sauce. This contains pork (pork frankfurters). Chef's tip: brush the outside of the bread with butter before pressing, so it goes evenly golden and crisp.
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

For the spicy sauce

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Fresh ingredients (3)

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Simmer the 4 pork frankfurters in water for 5 minutes, until hot right through (at least 160°F in the centre). Drain and slice each in half lengthways.

    6 min
  2. Step 2: Split the 4 slim crusty bread rolls lengthways without cutting all the way through. Line each with 2 slices of 8 slices sliced mild cheese and the sausage halves.

    3 min
  3. Step 3: Brush the outsides of the rolls with the 1 oz butter. Toast in a sandwich press, or in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat pressed down with another pan, for 3–4 minutes per side, until very crisp and the cheese has melted.

    8 min
  4. Step 4: Meanwhile, warm the 4 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp mild mustard, 2 tsp hot chilli sauce (piri-piri), ½ tsp sweet paprika and 3 tbsp water in a small pan, stirring, for 2 minutes until smooth and glossy.

    2 min
  5. Step 5: Cut each roll into 2 cm slices, arrange on a plate and spoon the hot sauce over. A common mistake is pouring the sauce on too early: eat at once while the bread is still crunchy.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
480 kcal
Protein
17 g
Carbs
36 g
Fat
30 g
Fibre
2 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does cachorrinho take?
About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it very spicy?
It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
What can I use instead of butter?
The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
What can I use instead of tomato ketchup?
Tomato purée with a pinch of sugar and a dash of vinegar.

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