Famous Food Recipes in Philadelphia
Chicken Cutlet Sandwich.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
4 hoagie rolls
Lettuce, tomato slices, and mayonnaise for topping
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C) and place a baking sheet inside.
Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness between plastic wrap or parchment paper.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
In separate shallow dishes, place the flour, beaten eggs, and a mixture of breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
Dredge each chicken breast in the flour, then dip it in the beaten eggs, and finally coat it with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere the coating.
In a large skillet, heat enough vegetable oil to shallow fry the chicken cutlets over medium-high heat.
Fry the chicken cutlets for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown and cooked through.
Transfer the fried cutlets to the preheated oven to keep warm while you prepare the rest.
Toast the hoagie rolls if desired.
Place a chicken cutlet on each roll.
Top the cutlets with lettuce, tomato slices, and a dollop of mayonnaise.
Serve the Chicken Cutlet Sandwiches hot.
Philly Style Soft Pretzel Bites.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 packet of active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup baking soda
Coarse sea salt for sprinkling
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
In a mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy.
Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture and knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let the dough rise for about an hour in a warm place.
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Punch down the risen dough and divide it into small pieces.
Roll each piece into a rope and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
In a large pot, bring water to a boil, then add the baking soda.
Boil the pretzel bites in batches for about 30 seconds, then remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Sprinkle the pretzel bites with coarse sea salt.
Bake the pretzel bites in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Brush the baked pretzel bites with melted butter and serve warm.
Hoagie Dip.
Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped pickles
1/2 cup chopped deli meats (ham, turkey, salami, etc.)
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Assorted crackers, chips, or sliced baguette for serving
Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth.
Stir in the diced onion, green bell pepper, tomatoes, pickles, and chopped deli meats.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the mixture to a serving dish.
Top the dip with shredded iceberg lettuce and shredded provolone cheese.
Serve the Hoagie Dip with assorted crackers, chips, or sliced baguette.
Scrapple, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich.
Ingredients:
4 slices scrapple
4 large eggs
4 slices American cheese
4 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
Butter or cooking spray
Salt and pepper to taste
Ketchup or hot sauce (optional)
Instructions:
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the scrapple slices until they are crispy and golden brown on both sides.
Remove the scrapple from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, fry the eggs sunny-side-up until the whites are fully set.
While the eggs are cooking, split the hamburger buns, or Kaiser rolls and toast them in a separate skillet or under the broiler until lightly browned.
Once the rolls are toasted, spread some butter on each half or use cooking spray.
Place a slice of American cheese on the bottom half of each roll.
Top the cheese with a cooked scrapple slice and then a fried egg.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the eggs if desired.
Close the sandwiches with the top halves of the rolls.
Optionally, add ketchup or hot sauce to the sandwiches before serving.
Roast Pork with Broccoli Rabe.
Ingredients for the roast pork:
4-5 pounds pork shoulder or pork loin
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Ingredients for the broccoli rabe:
1 bunch broccoli rabe, cleaned and trimmed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions for the roast pork:
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, dried rosemary, dried thyme, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and enough olive oil to form a paste.
Rub the pork shoulder or pork loin with the garlic and herb paste, covering it entirely.
Place the seasoned pork in a roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil.
Roast the pork in the preheated oven for about 3-4 hours or until it is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
Once cooked, remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 475°F (245°C).
Return the uncovered pork to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes to develop a crispy outer crust.
Remove the roast pork from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Instructions for the broccoli rabe:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add the cleaned and trimmed broccoli rabe to the skillet and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until it is wilted and tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Slice the roast pork and serve it with the sautéed broccoli rabe on the side.
Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers.
Ingredients:
4 large bell peppers, halved and seeds removed
1 pound thinly sliced ribeye steak or sirloin
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
4 slices provolone cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for cooking
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a baking dish.
In a large skillet, heat some vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
Add the sliced onions and cook until they become soft and caramelized.
Push the onions to one side of the skillet and add the sliced mushrooms to the other side. Cook until the mushrooms are tender.
Remove the onions and mushrooms from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, cook the thinly sliced ribeye steak or sirloin until it is browned and cooked through.
Season the steak with salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange the halved bell peppers in the prepared baking dish.
Fill each pepper half with the cooked steak, followed by the caramelized onions and mushrooms.
Top each pepper with a slice of provolone cheese.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve the Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers hot.
Pecan Pie Bars.
Ingredients for the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Ingredients for the pecan filling:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups pecan halves
4 large eggs, beaten
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, softened butter, and powdered sugar.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form an even crust.
Bake the crust in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.
While the crust is baking, prepare the pecan filling. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Stir in the granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Stir in the pecan halves and beaten eggs, making sure they are evenly coated.
Pour the pecan filling over the baked crust in the baking dish.
Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until the pecan filling is set and the edges are golden brown.
Let the pecan pie bars cool completely before cutting them into squares.
Schmitter Sandwich.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound thinly sliced roast beef or steak
1/2 pound cooked and sliced salami
1/2 pound cooked and sliced ham
8 slices Swiss cheese
1/4 cup Russian dressing (or Thousand Island dressing)
4 sesame seed hamburger buns
Sliced tomato, lettuce, and pickles for topping
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Layer the roast beef, salami, and ham on the prepared baking sheet.
Top each layer with Swiss cheese.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
While the meat and cheese are warming, spread Russian dressing on the bottom halves of the hamburger buns.
Once the cheese is melted, transfer the meat and cheese layers to the bottom halves of the buns.
Top each sandwich with sliced tomato, lettuce, and pickles.
Close the sandwiches with the top halves of the buns.
Serve the Schmitter Sandwiches warm.
Tastykake Kandy Kakes.
Ingredients for the cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
Ingredients for the peanut butter filling:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
Ingredients for the chocolate coating:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Instructions for the cake:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, and mix until you get a smooth batter.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely in the dish before proceeding.
Instructions for the peanut butter filling:
In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and creamy peanut butter until well combined and smooth.
Gradually add the powdered sugar to the bowl, mixing until it forms a creamy filling.
Stir in the whole milk to make the filling spreadable.
Instructions for the chocolate coating:
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the semisweet chocolate chips and vegetable shortening together, stirring until smooth.
To assemble the Kandy Kakes:
Once the cake is cooled, spread the peanut butter filling over the top in an even layer.
Carefully cut the cake into small squares or rectangles.
Dip each square into the melted chocolate coating, covering all sides.
Place the coated Kandy Kakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set.
Let the chocolate coating firm up before serving the Tastykake Kandy Kakes.
Philadelphia-Style Snapper Soup.
Ingredients:
1 lb snapping turtle meat, cleaned and diced (you can use alternative meats like chicken or beef)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups beef broth
1 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon slices for serving (optional)
Hard-boiled egg slices for serving (optional)
Instructions:
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until the vegetables are softened.
Add the diced turtle meat (or alternative meat) to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides.
Sprinkle the flour over the meat and vegetables, and stir to coat evenly. Cook for a minute or two to remove the raw flour taste.
Pour in the beef broth and dry sherry, stirring to combine. Add the minced garlic, chopped parsley, bay leaves, and thyme.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Optionally, serve the Snapper Soup with lemon slices and hard-boiled egg slices on top for an authentic Philadelphia touch.
