Francesinha (, meaning little French girl or little French woman) is a Portuguese sandwich, originally from Porto, made with layers of toasted bread and assorted hot meats such as roast, steak, wet-cured ham, linguiça, or chipolata, over which sliced cheese is melted by the ladling of a near-boiling tomato-and-beer sauce called . It is typically served with fried potato chips.

History

thumb|right|Francesinha with [[Chips (fried potato strips)|fried potato chips]]

The francesinha is a 20th-century creation attributed to Daniel David de Silva who, upon returning to Portugal from time spent in France and Belgium, tried to adapt the croque monsieur to Portuguese tastes. In 1953, he introduced a sandwich with local meats and a custom beer-and-tomato sauce at A Regaleira, a restaurant in Rua do Bonjardim in Porto. The francesinha quickly became a popular dish, and although it remains associated with the city, it can now be found throughout Portugal.

Variations

thumb|Francesinha in Porto, Portugal

thumb|Francesinha in Porto with a [[fried egg]]

There is no standard recipe for the francesinha. Variations of the original include fillings such as pork, chicken, pastrami, tuna, cod, and vegetarian options.

Common varieties include:

  • The (special francesinha) is a francesinha with egg and/or fried potato chips.
  • Pica-pau is a breadless variant in which a steak is cut into bite-sized pieces and covered with sauce. The name pica-pau (woodpecker) references the traditional means of consumption with small skewers or toothpicks—making the diner "peck" at the dish.

Different restaurants in Portugal have special variations, such as:

  • Café Barcarola (Porto): – A francesinha especial with prawns and shrimp;
  • Café Ábaco (Porto): – A francesinha especial with roast pork;
  • A Cascata (Porto): – A francesinha especial with mushrooms and cream;

Regional variants include:

  • Francesinha poveira is a form of francesinha distinctive to Póvoa de Varzim, north of Porto, created in the early 1960s. The poveira form uses different bread and sauce to form a sandwich that can be eaten by hand.

Sauce

Francesinha sauce varies, with each establishment having its variation. The only common ingredient is beer. Most, though not all, sauces are tomato-based and vary in their degree of spiciness. The colour is usually red or orange.

Reception

The Daily Meal included the francesinha in their article "12 Life-Changing Sandwiches You've Never Heard Of".

See also

  • Croque monsieur
  • Porto
  • Portuguese cuisine
  • List of sandwiches

References

Further reading

  • Francesinhas - History of the Francesinha
  • Francesinha Póveira
  • Irmandade da Francesinha - Ranking and evaluation of Francesinhas