Milanesa Napolitana

Method

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1. Beat each steak between cling film to an even 5 mm. Season both sides with the salt and pepper.

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2. Leave the steaks in the garlic and parsley egg for 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge — this is the Argentinian step that seasons the meat itself.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

3. Set out flour and breadcrumbs in separate dishes.

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4. Lift a steak from the egg, dredge it in flour, back into the egg, then press it firmly into the breadcrumbs on both sides.

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5. Rest the coated cutlets on a rack for 15 minutes so the crumb bonds.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

6. Heat the oil in a wide pan to about 175C — it should be 5 mm deep.

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7. Fry each cutlet for 2 to 3 minutes a side until deep golden. Drain on a rack and salt lightly.

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8. Sit them on a baking tray. Spoon tomato sauce over each, lay a slice of ham on, then the mozzarella, and scatter with oregano.

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9. Grill under a hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is melted and blistered.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

10. Serve immediately with chips and lemon.

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Chef’s Tips

• Marinate in the garlic egg. It is what makes a milanesa taste Argentinian.
• Fry first, top after, grill briefly. Never bake it all together.
• Rest the coated cutlets 15 minutes before frying.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Chips and a fried egg on top
• A green salad
• A Malbec

Storage & Reheating

Plain fried milanesas keep 3 days refrigerated and recrisp at 200C fan. Top to order.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.