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Milanesa a la napolitana
Milanesa napolitana: breaded beef topped with ham, tomato sauce and melted cheese
Despite the name, this has nothing to do with Naples: it was invented in Buenos Aires in the 1940s at a restaurant called Nápoli, near the Luna Park stadium. A crisp milanesa is topped with tomato sauce, a slice of ham and plenty of mozzarella, then grilled until the cheese bubbles. It is a pork-and-beef dish, because of the ham. Porteños order it at the corner bodegón with a mountain of chips, one plate often shared by two. The common mistake is spooning on too much sauce, which turns the crumb soggy; a thin layer is enough. Chef's tip: fry the milanesas a minute less than usual, since they finish cooking under the grill, and keep the sauce thick.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the milanesas
For the topping
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Make the sauce: warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pan, add 1 clove garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup passata, 1 tsp dried oregano and ¼ tsp salt and simmer for 10 minutes until thick enough to hold a line when you drag a spoon through it.
11 minStep 2: Pound 1 ⅓ lb beef topside steaks between cling film to 5 mm. Beat 2 eggs with 1 clove garlic and 1 tsp salt. Dip the steaks in egg, then press into 5 ½ oz dried fine breadcrumbs. Chill for 15 minutes.
25 minStep 3: Heat 1 cup sunflower oil, for shallow frying in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the milanesas for 2 minutes a side until golden, then drain on kitchen paper.
8 minStep 4: Heat the grill to high. Put the milanesas on a lined baking tray and spread each one thinly with the sauce, leaving a small border.
Step 5: Lay a slice of 4 slices cooked ham on each, then 1 tomato if using, and cover with 7 oz low-moisture mozzarella.
Step 6: Grill for 4–6 minutes until the cheese has melted and is spotted brown. The beef will be cooked through and steaming in the middle.
5 minStep 7: Rest for 1 minute so the cheese settles, then serve with chips or mashed potato.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does milanesa a la napolitana take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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