Milanesa is the South American version of the Italian cotella alla milanese, much like the Austrian wienerschnitzel, brought to other countries by Italian immigrants during the mass emigration between 1860 and 1920. In countries where beef reigns supreme, specifically Argentina, Uruguay, and the US state of Texas (chicken fried steak), veal was replaced by beef to adapt to local ingredients.
Milanesa is one of the most popular dishes in Argentina and even has its own official day, May 3rd. Over time, the Argentines have developed creative extensions of the basic milanesa. Two of those are milanesa a caballo (“milanesa riding horseback”) topped with fried egg, and milanesa a la napolitana topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and ham. The latter was invented in the 1940s at Restaurante Napoli in Buenos Aires, 6,968 miles from Naples.
Milanesa- Argentinian Beef Cutlets Three Ways
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Large nonstick pan (for Caballo)
- Baking sheet (for a la Napalatano)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Top sirlon beef or ribeye steak
- 3 large Eggs
- 2 tsp Milk
- ¼ cup Parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp Each: salt and pepper
- 1½ cup Fine plain bread crumbs (buy or homemade)
- ½ cup Vegetable or olive oil
For Milanesa a Caballo
- 8 large Eggs
For Milanesa Napolitana
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup Tomato sauce
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 4 slices Ham
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
Milanesa
- Cut beef into large, thin slices and pound to about ⅓-inch. In a wide bowl, beat together eggs, milk, parsley, salt, and pepper. Place breadcrumbs in a wide plate.Coat a slice of beef completely in the egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Cover both sides in breadcrumbs, pressing down to ensure the beef is fully coated. Repeat with remaining slices. Refrigerate the cutlets for 30 minutes and even overnight.Pour oil into a skillet and heat over medium heat. When heated, gently add a cutlet and cook until golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper lined plate and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with remaining slices. Serve with a lemon wedge and French fries.
Milanesa a Caballo
- When to last milanesa is cooking, lightly oil another pan and place over medium-high heat. Add 4 eggs then reduce heat to low and fry eggs until just set with runny yolks. Repeat with remaining eggs. Place 2 fried eggs over each milanesa and serve with French fries.
Milanesa a la Napolitana
- Add parmesan cheese and minced garlic to bread crumbs. Add oregano to egg mixture.Place cooked milanesas on a baking sheet and preheat broiler. Top each milanesa with a slice of ham (optional), 3 tbsp. tomato sauce, and cover with a quarter of the mozzarella cheese. Place under broiler until the cheese melts. Serve warm with fries.
