Mini-Francesinha

Some say that the 'Francesinha' was invented by portuguese, others by french or that it was brought from France to Portugal by some portuguese. Origins aside, 'Francesinha' is delicious and there are many versions of it. This is my first version of this delicacy. A small sized 'Francesinha' accompanied with a tasty tomato and beer sauce. You can adapt it into a vegetarian version or a light version by replacing the pork beef, chorizo, ham and sausage with chicken or turkey. Have it with a side of salad seasoned with some olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper or homemade fries.

For 5 'Mini-Francesinhas': 5 bread crusts, cut each bread 3/4 and take the inside away (or sliced bread) - 3 slices of ham, cut into thin stripes - 30 gr any cheese, grated - 1 sausage, sliced - 1 thin and small size beef, chopped - 5 slices of chorizo sausage - 5 small eggs (chicken or quail) - 5 olives - 3 barbecue sticks, cut in half

For the sauce: 2 medium size tomatos, chopped - 400 ml white beer - 1/2 onion, chopped - 1 garlic clove, chopped - 1 chilli, chopped and deseeded - 2 tablespoon of tomato paste - 2 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 200º C. Brush a muffin tin with olive oil and reserve it. Flatten the bread crusts with a rolling pin, then brush each bread crust on both sides with olive oil. Line the muffin tin with the bread crusts, molding and pressing them in with your hands. Reserve it. In a pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the onion and the garlic. Add the chopped tomatos, the tomato paste, the bay leaves, the chilli and stirr continuously. Pour in the beer and cook for ten minutes on medium/low heat. Remove the bay leaves and blend the mixture. Reserve it. Meanwhile grill the beef, the chorizo and the sausages in some olive oil. Divide the ham, the chorizo, the beef, the sausages and the grated cheese between the bread crusts. followed by the eggs (if the eggs are too big, pour a little of the white away before using). Season the eggs with some salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes. Stick each olive on the barbecue sticks and insert it in the 'Mini-Francesinhas'. Serve immediately, accompanied by the tomato and beer sauce.