Francesinha sandwich with chips

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 °C. Warm the ready made francesinha sauce in a saucepan over low heat until piping hot.
2. Grill the thin beef steaks for 2 minutes per side on a very hot griddle. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the fresh sausages and linguiça for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until golden. Check for 71 °C in the centres of the fresh sausages; the time depends on their thickness. Set aside.
3. Lightly toast the bread slices. You can do this in a toaster or on a griddle. They should be slightly crisp, but not hard.
4. Start assembling the francesinha: on one slice of bread, lay a slice of ham. On top, add the grilled steak. Then add the fresh sausage and the linguiça (halved lengthways, if you prefer).
5. Cover with more ham and then with the second slice of bread. On top of that, lay the mozzarella slices so they cover the bread and the filling completely.
6. Bake the francesinha in the oven preheated to 180°C for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cheese has melted completely and starts to bubble slightly.
7. While the francesinha is in the oven, heat the vegetable oil to 180 °C in a deep pan or fryer and fry the chips in two batches, 4 to 5 minutes each, until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.
8. Take the francesinha out of the oven and put it on a deep plate. Pour the piping hot sauce generously over it, covering the whole sandwich and the plate.
9. Serve immediately, with the chips alongside and the remaining sauce in a jug on the side.