There are recipes that are like a hug with breadcrumbs, and books about fillets are at the top of that list; except, I suppose, if you’re from Asturias and your favorite breading is cachopo. Tender, crunchy and so appetizing that the task of not burning yourself on burning cheese becomes complicated by sinking your teeth sooner than any thermal logic dictates, they are the kind of dish that brightens up a meal without major complications. You can accompany them with a good seasonal salad or opt for the complete dish combined with potatoes and fried eggs (Christmas Eve dinner at home since we told you that it excited us more than any sea bream, roast or fish).
In their most classic version they are filled with ham and cheese, but allow for a thousand variations: with sobrasada, soft Mahón cheese and honey, gorgonzola, raisins and walnuts, Serrano ham and tronchón or dried tomato and basil. The trick is to make sure that the filling does not have too much moisture so as not to soften the breading and to close the edges well before frying them, as well as filling them with decent quality ingredients.
The little books hold up beautifully frozen before frying, so when you get to baking you can make a few extra and have them ready the next time you feel like it. While it’s not a recipe that retains its virtues for long – crunchiness and melted cheese are key to gustirrinín – a touch of air frying can bring them back to life.
The touch is important, because if you overdo it they can feel like the sole of a shoe. If in doubt, you can also choose to eat them as they are, at room temperature, and remember what financial from Proust how good was the softened and battered chicken that was always in the lunchbox during the children’s excursions.
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: That of not burning yourself by wanting to eat them in advance
Ingredients
For 4-6 people
- 12 butterfly-shaped pork loin fillets
- 12 thin slices of cooked ham
- About 200 grams of sliced or grated processed cheese (havarti, soft tronchon or manchego, young comté…)
- Flour (optional)
- 2 eggs
- Breadcrumbs for breading
- salt and pepper
- Mild olive oil for frying
Instructions
Spread the loin fillets on a cutting board and, if you want, flatten them slightly with a mallet or the bottom of a glass. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
Arrange the ham and cheese filling on one of the halves, leaving one edge without filling. Fold and close, pressing so that it is well sealed.
Beat the eggs with salt and pepper.
Dip each book in flour (optional), beaten egg and breadcrumbs.
Fry in hot but not smoking oil for about three minutes on each side, until golden brown. Drain on a rack or on kitchen paper and serve immediately.
If you have questions or complaints about our recipes, write to us at elcomidista@gmail.com. You can also follow El Comidista on YouTube
