Introduced to South America by Italian immigrants, Milanesa is a large slice of beef (or chicken, veal, or even cod) pounded thin, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried (or sometimes baked) until golden. It is similar to other dishes from around the world including Chicken Fried Steak in the southern US, the German/Austrian Schnitzel, and of course Cotoletta alla Milanese from Italy. In addition to Argentina, this dish can also be found in Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Milanesa can be prepared in a few different ways. The easiest is to serve it plain with a wedge of lemon. It can also be made into a sandwich (Pan con Milanesa) or covered in a variety of toppings such as the Milanesa Fugazetta (ham, mozzarella, onion, olive, and oregano) or Milanesa a la Napolitana (ham, tomato sauce, and mozzarella). Today, I am sharing the Milanesa a Caballo. Translating to Milanesa on horseback, this refers to topping the Milanesa with two fried eggs before serving. Only want one egg? The dish can also be made “Medio Caballo” or half horse with a single egg.
Servings 2 -4 Servings:Ingredients 1 pound top sirloin beef 6-8 eggs 1/2 tablespoon milk 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup fine breadcrumbs Oil for frying Fries for serving Instructions 1. Pound each sheet of beef to 1/8th inch thick. 2. In a wide bowl, beat together 2 of the eggs, milk, parsley, salt, and pepper. 3. Place the breadcrumbs on a wide plate. 4. Coat a thin sheet of beef completely in the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off. Then cover in the breadcrumbs, pressing to make sure the beef is full coated. Repeat with remaining beef. 5. Allow the coated beef to rest in the refrigerator 30 minutes to overnight. 6. Pour oil into a large pan until 1/2 inch thick. Place over medium heat. Once fully heated, carefully add one of the coated beef slices. Fry until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip to cook the other side until golden. Transfer to a towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining beef. 7. While the beef is frying, lightly oil another pan and place over medium-high heat. Add two eggs and reduce heat to low. Fry just until set. Transfer two eggs over one slice of cooked Milanesa and serve immediately with fries.