Don Diego's Milanesa Napolitana

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 beef schnitzels, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper
• e.g. breadcrumbs
• e.g. oil (sunflower oil), for frying
• 3 eggs
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 4 slice(s) ham, cooked, thinly sliced
• 250 ml tomato sauce (pizza)
• 400 g mozzarella, grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Beef schnitzel topped with ham, tomato sauce and mozzarella from Argentina

Contrary to popular belief, the Milanesa Napolitana has nothing to do with Naples, but rather with the Pizzeria Napoli in Buenos Aires. It’s said that the origin of this recipe was the result of a minor kitchen accident. In the 1940s, the Napoli chef’s attempt to prepare a “Milanesa” for a discerning regular customer slipped up. The breading of the schnitzel turned out too dark. To remedy the situation, he covered the schnitzel with a thin slice of cooked ham, spread a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce over it, and topped it with a generous portion of grated mozzarella. All staples of a pizzeria. He gratinated the “undercover schnitzel” in the oven and served it as a new creation of the restaurant, which the esteemed regular customer had the honor of being the first to taste, he was told. The regular customer was enthusiastic, the recipe was quickly copied in Buenos Aires, and soon the Milanesa Napolitana became one of the most popular Argentinian dishes. And that hasn’t changed to this day. Of course, neither then nor now was it a requirement to ruin the schnitzels halfway before serving them – nicely packaged. Proper Milanesas Argentinas (for more information on the meat selection, see “Don Diego’s Milanesas Argentinas”) are prepared as follows: In a bowl, prepare a generous amount of breadcrumbs. In a second bowl, crack the eggs, press in the garlic, and add the chopped parsley. Now, dip the already salted and peppered beef schnitzels in the egg mixture and carefully coat them in the breadcrumbs. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Heat enough sunflower oil in a pan, just enough so that the underside of the beef schnitzels float in the fat, but don’t sink. Fry the schnitzels until golden brown on both sides, which takes no more than two minutes per side. Drain the finished Milanesas on absorbent paper towels. Then place the schnitzels on a baking sheet and top them—just like in the old days at Pizzeria Napoli—with a slice of ham, 3-4 tablespoons of tomato sauce, and grated mozzarella, then bake until the cheese has melted and bubbled. The classic accompaniments are French fries and a mixed salad. Contrary to Argentinian tradition, I prefer an extra spoonful of tomato sauce and am reserved with the mozzarella, as I harbor a secret fear that one day I’ll get caught in the threads of the cooling cheese and end up immobilized in front of my dish. Argentinians don’t have this fear and are generally more daring. The thickness of the cheese layer is unlimited. But everyone has their own experience, or Chacun à son goût.