Bife à Parmegiana is a beloved dish that combines flavorful breaded beef with savory cheese and tomato sauce. It’s a meal that works for any day of the week, and making it at home can be a simple and rewarding experience. In this article, we’ll guide you through a straightforward recipe that will have everyone at the dinner table asking for seconds.
To start, you’ll need some quality beef. For this recipe, we recommend using alcatra, which is already cut into steaks. If your pieces are a bit large, don’t worry—simply cut them in half or pound them to your desired thickness. To pound the meat, place each piece between sheets of plastic wrap and gently flatten them with a kitchen tool of your choice. This helps tenderize the meat and makes the next steps easier.
After prepping the meat, season both sides generously with salt, black pepper, and minced garlic (about three cloves, though you can adjust to your personal taste).
The next part of the process is breading the beef. You’ll need three separate bowls: one with all-purpose flour, another with beaten eggs, and the last with breadcrumbs. For an extra crunch, you can mix in some cornstarch as well—around a quarter cup added to two cups of breadcrumbs works well.
To bread the steaks, first pass them through the flour, shaking off the excess. Next, dip them into the beaten eggs, and finally coat them with the breadcrumb mixture. Set the breaded beef aside while you preheat a frying pan with oil over medium heat.
Once your oil is hot (but not smoking), carefully place the breaded beef into the pan. Fry until golden brown on one side and then flip to cook the other side—generally, a few minutes on each side is sufficient. Once cooked, remove the steaks and let them drain on a paper towel or cooling rack to remove excess oil.
Assembling the Bife à Parmegiana
Now that your beef is golden and crispy, it’s time to assemble the Bife à Parmegiana. You can use any oven-safe dish; we recommend a size around 30 by 19 cm. Start by spreading some tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish, layering in your fried steaks, and then generously covering them with slices of mozzarella cheese. Add more tomato sauce on top before finishing with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese—about fifty grams should suffice.
Preheat your oven to 200°C (about 400°F). Place the assembled dish into the oven, ensuring the heat is coming from the bottom. Allow it to bake until the cheese becomes bubbly and melted, which usually takes about 15-20 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Once your Bife à Parmegiana is ready, take it out of the oven and prepare to serve! This meal goes wonderfully with some white rice and a simple salad, making for a complete and satisfying dinner.
Bife à Parmegiana is not just delicious; it’s also a versatile dish that you can customize based on your preferences—different types of beef can be used, and the seasoning can vary as well. Serve it up for your family or friends, and you’re sure to impress. So what are you waiting for? Give this recipe a try and enjoy the delightful flavors of home-cooked Bife à Parmegiana!
Part 1/6:
How to Make Delicious Bife à Parmegiana
Bife à Parmegiana is a beloved dish that combines flavorful breaded beef with savory cheese and tomato sauce. It’s a meal that works for any day of the week, and making it at home can be a simple and rewarding experience. In this article, we’ll guide you through a straightforward recipe that will have everyone at the dinner table asking for seconds.
Ingredients and Preparation
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To start, you’ll need some quality beef. For this recipe, we recommend using alcatra, which is already cut into steaks. If your pieces are a bit large, don’t worry—simply cut them in half or pound them to your desired thickness. To pound the meat, place each piece between sheets of plastic wrap and gently flatten them with a kitchen tool of your choice. This helps tenderize the meat and makes the next steps easier.
After prepping the meat, season both sides generously with salt, black pepper, and minced garlic (about three cloves, though you can adjust to your personal taste).
Breading the Beef
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The next part of the process is breading the beef. You’ll need three separate bowls: one with all-purpose flour, another with beaten eggs, and the last with breadcrumbs. For an extra crunch, you can mix in some cornstarch as well—around a quarter cup added to two cups of breadcrumbs works well.
To bread the steaks, first pass them through the flour, shaking off the excess. Next, dip them into the beaten eggs, and finally coat them with the breadcrumb mixture. Set the breaded beef aside while you preheat a frying pan with oil over medium heat.
Frying the Steaks
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Once your oil is hot (but not smoking), carefully place the breaded beef into the pan. Fry until golden brown on one side and then flip to cook the other side—generally, a few minutes on each side is sufficient. Once cooked, remove the steaks and let them drain on a paper towel or cooling rack to remove excess oil.
Assembling the Bife à Parmegiana
Now that your beef is golden and crispy, it’s time to assemble the Bife à Parmegiana. You can use any oven-safe dish; we recommend a size around 30 by 19 cm. Start by spreading some tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish, layering in your fried steaks, and then generously covering them with slices of mozzarella cheese. Add more tomato sauce on top before finishing with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese—about fifty grams should suffice.
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Baking
Preheat your oven to 200°C (about 400°F). Place the assembled dish into the oven, ensuring the heat is coming from the bottom. Allow it to bake until the cheese becomes bubbly and melted, which usually takes about 15-20 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Once your Bife à Parmegiana is ready, take it out of the oven and prepare to serve! This meal goes wonderfully with some white rice and a simple salad, making for a complete and satisfying dinner.
Conclusion
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Bife à Parmegiana is not just delicious; it’s also a versatile dish that you can customize based on your preferences—different types of beef can be used, and the seasoning can vary as well. Serve it up for your family or friends, and you’re sure to impress. So what are you waiting for? Give this recipe a try and enjoy the delightful flavors of home-cooked Bife à Parmegiana!