Essential · 1 h 30 min · Serves 4
Milanesa napolitana with French fries
The same root as the milanesa napolitana 2.0 of the family: a very crisp breaded beef cutlet covered in tomato sauce, ham and broiled mozzarella, the classic of the Buenos Aires bodegón. This version is the one from all the years, with homemade French fries on the side.
The twist is not to lose the crunch under the topping. The milanesa is fried until golden, drained on a rack and receives a thick sauce, reduced almost to a paste, in a thin layer that does not reach the edge. The fries are fried twice, first at medium temperature to cook them and then hot to brown them, and come out crisp and dry.
Special equipment: deep pan or fryer; oil thermometer recommended; oven broiler
Ingredients
Tomato sauce
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pinch of sugar, only if needed
- Fine salt and black pepper
Milanesas
- 4 beef cutlets from top round or eye of round (nalga or bola de lomo), 180 g and 6–8 mm thick
- 2 eggs
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 30 g grated cheese
- Fine salt and black pepper
- 200 g breadcrumbs
- Neutral oil for frying
Topping and broiling
- 4 slices of cooked ham
- 250 g block mozzarella, in slices or coarsely grated
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 plum tomato, in thin slices, optional
French fries
- 1 kg starchy potatoes
- Neutral oil for frying
- Fine salt
Method
Tomato sauce
- Reduction. Heat the oil with the garlic over medium heat 1 minute, add the tomato, oregano, salt and pepper and cook 15–20 minutes, stirring, until very thick and barely dripping from the spoon. If acidic, add the sugar.
Milanesas
- Breading. Beat the eggs with the garlic, parsley, cheese, salt and pepper. Dry the cutlets, pass them through the egg and then the breadcrumbs, pressing with your palm so it sticks. Repeat egg and crumbs once more for a thicker, crisper breading. Let them rest 15 minutes in the refrigerator so the breading sets.
- Frying. Heat 2 cm of oil in the pan to 170–175 °C (338–347 °F) and fry the milanesas one or two at a time, 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp and the meat cooked. Drain them on a rack, not on paper towels: the steam from below softens the breading.
Topping and broiling
- Assembly. Turn on the broiler. Set the milanesas on a tray, spread them with a thin layer of sauce leaving 1 cm of edge free, put a slice of ham, the mozzarella and, if using, a few tomato slices, and sprinkle with oregano.
- Broiling. Broil 10–12 cm from the element for 4–6 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling and with golden spots.
French fries
- Cutting. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 cm sticks. Wash them in cold water until it runs clear and dry them very well with a kitchen towel.
- First frying. Fry them in batches in oil at 150–160 °C (302–320 °F) for 5–6 minutes, until tender but without color. Drain them on a rack.
- Second frying. Right before serving, raise the oil to 180–185 °C (356–365 °F) and fry them again 2–3 minutes, until golden and crisp. Drain and salt right away.
The dish
Use large, hot flat plates. Set the broiled milanesa on one side, with the crisp edge in view, and arrange a generous portion of freshly salted fries alongside, without touching the topping. Final look: the golden edge of the milanesa, the red, pink and white topping with toasted spots and the green of the oregano, and the golden, dry fries.
Key points
- Reduce the sauce until it barely drips, so it does not wet the breading.
- Leave the edge of the milanesa free so it shows and stays crisp.
- Drain the milanesa on a rack, not on paper towels.
- Dry the potatoes before frying and do both fryings.
- Control the oil temperature at each stage.
Pairing
A young Malbec or a lager. Without alcohol, a lemon-lime soda or sparkling water.
Notes
- Baked: the milanesas can also be baked on an oiled tray at 220 °C (430 °F), 10–12 minutes per side, before the topping.