Milanesa#Variations
{{Short description|A South American variation of the Lombard veal Milanese}}
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File:Weekend in Buenos Aires.jpg
Milanesa is a variation of the Lombard veal Milanese, or the Austrian Wiener schnitzel, where generic types of breaded cutlet preparations are known as milanesa.{{cite book |title=Argentina Cooks: Treasured Recipes from the Nine Regions of Argentina |first=Shirley Thomas |last=Brooks |publisher=Hippocrene Books |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iJptJLnzIVAC&q=milanesa&pg=PA51 |year=2003 |pages=51–52 |isbn=9780781809979 |access-date=3 July 2013 |via=Google Books}}
Milanesa was brought to the Southern Cone by Italian immigrants between 1860 and the 1920s. Its name probably reflects an original Milanese preparation, cotoletta alla milanese (veal Milanese), which is similar to the Austrian Wiener schnitzel.{{cite web |url=http://yosoymukenio.blogspot.com/2005/10/la-verdad-de-la-milanesa.html |title=La verdad de la milanesa |trans-title=The truth of the milanesa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527001602/http://yosoymukenio.blogspot.com/2005/10/la-verdad-de-la-milanesa.html |archive-date=2008-05-27 |work=En Pampa y la vía [In Pampa and the road] |date=8 October 2005 |access-date=9 October 2008 |language=es |url-status=dead}}
Variations
{{Expand section|date=May 2025}}
=Argentina=
File:Ingredientes para hacer una milanesa.png
A milanesa with added tomato paste, mozzarella, and sometimes ham. In the 1940s, in Buenos Aires, milanesa a la napolitana ({{literally|milanesa in the Neapolitan style}} and named for José Napoli's restaurant{{cite web |title=The Milanesa Napolitana, a short history |url=https://cedron.es/the-milanesa-napolitana-a-short-history/ |website=Restaurante Cedrón Wine Bar |access-date=14 September 2024 |location=Madrid |date=29 October 2019}}) was first made at a restaurant called Napoli, located near Estadio Luna Park, when a chef covered up a burned milanesa with cheese, ham and tomato.{{cite web |title=The truth of the milanesa |url=https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/en/article/truth-milanesa |website=Official English Website for the City of Buenos Aires |publisher=Ente de Turismo del Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires |access-date=14 September 2024 |language=en |date=3 May 2019}}{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/suplementos/gastronomia/el-origen-de-la-milanesa-557404.html |title=El origen de la milanesa |newspaper=ABC Color |date=2013-04-13 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517151454/http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/suplementos/gastronomia/el-origen-de-la-milanesa-557404.html |archive-date=2014-05-17 |trans-title=The origin of the milanesa}}{{Cite web |last=Esposito |first=Laura Muryel |date=2016-06-21 |title=Cotoletta alla napoletana, bontà partenopea nata da un errore. La ricetta |url=https://www.vesuviolive.it/cucina-ricette/153449-cotoletta-alla-napoletana-bonta-partenopea-nata-un-errore-la-ricetta/ |access-date=2024-01-20 |website=Vesuvio Live |language=en}} The dish is sometimes made out of chicken breast, suprema napolitana.
Milanesa is a popular dish in Argentina as in Uruguay and has been described as "one of the quintessential Río de la Plata dishes".{{cite web |url=https://www.infobae.com/tendencias/nutriglam/2018/05/03/dia-de-la-milanesa-los-secretos-detras-del-imprescindible-plato-de-la-cocina-portena/ |title=Día de la Milanesa: los secretos detrás del imprescindible plato de la cocina porteña |date=May 3, 2018 |access-date=March 14, 2019 |publisher=Infobae |language=es |trans-title=Milanesa Day: the secrets behind the essential dish of Buenos Aires cuisine}} They are the legacy of Italian immigrants, who introduced cotoletta alla milanese in the late 19th century and early 20th century.{{cite web |url=https://www.clarin.com/sociedad/dia-nacional-milanesa-origen_0_SJytotdpf.html |title=Día de la milanesa: cómo se creó uno de los platos favoritos de los argentinos |date=3 May 2015 |language=es |work=Clarín |access-date=March 14, 2019 |trans-title=Milanesa Day: how one of the favorite dishes of Argentines was created}} During that time, Argentina experienced a huge European immigration wave, with most immigrants coming from Italy. Argentines with Italian lineage is around 60 percent.{{cite web |last1=Vaughn |first1=Kevin |title=Argentinian Cooks Make Italian Pasta Their Own |url=https://www.eater.com/23380486/argentina-italy-immigrants-food-pasta-buenos-aires |website=Eater |access-date=14 September 2024 |language=en |date=11 October 2022}}
They are frequently served hot with fried or mashed potatoes; this dish is known as milanesa con papas fritas or milanesa con puré. In Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay it is often topped with a fried egg, known as milanesa a caballo ({{literally|milanesa riding horseback}}), but omits the tomato sauce.{{cite web |url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/milanesa-a-caballo |title=Milanesa a caballo |work=TasteAtlas |access-date=April 12, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://bodegaargento.com/en/argentine-recipes/milanesa-on-horseback-with-french-fries/ |title=Milanesa 'on horseback' with french fries |publisher=Bodega Argento |access-date=April 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413033839/https://bodegaargento.com/en/argentine-recipes/milanesa-on-horseback-with-french-fries/ |archive-date=2020-04-13 |url-status=dead}} They are often eaten cold as a sandwich filling, with salad. Mustard and mayonnaise are often used as seasoning.{{Cite book |last=Catena |first=Laura |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wd4QmnKs7N0C |title=Vino Argentino: An Insider's Guide to the Wines and Wine Country of Argentina |date=2011-11-18 |publisher=Chronicle Books |isbn=978-1-4521-0038-8 |page=181 |language=}}