CHEESESTEAK’S GALLETTA’S GALLEY STYLE
After doing a little research to give you the most accurate account of where the famous and absolutely amazing hoagie/Sub we call Cheesesteak came from this is what I came up with.
In the 1930 Pat Olivieri and his Younger brother Harry scrapped enough money together to buy a hot dog stand. As the story goes one day they decided to stay at the stand a little longer at the stand and since in those days everything was purchased fresh, no refrigeration, they went down to the butcher and purchased a piece of beef to make dinner for him and his brother. As they were cooking the smell attracted a cab driver and he asked if he could have a steak sandwich, and a legend was born. If you would like to read more about how they got there start Here is the link . https://priceonomics.com/the-birth-of-the-cheesesteak/ or http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2012/04/30/history-philly-cheesesteak.html .
But I digress, back to the cheesesteak. For those of you who don’t know (I know hard to believe there is anyone that doesn’t know what a cheesesteak is) a cheesesteak is made up of thinly sliced rib eye steak that is cooked on a well seasoned grill. It is your option to eat this deliciousness on a crusty Italian long roll by itself or add sauteed onions, peppers, mushrooms or a combination of the 3. Cheese is an option but not a necessity, it was originally called a STEAK Sandwich after-all. When deciding on a cheese, there are a few that are used at Steak places, Provolone, Wiz or cheese wiz as it is known. I use whatever cheese the group I am cooking for likes so it is your choice what to use.
As we grow older and better… we can’t always eat the way we use to. I could eat a cheesesteak everyday at Galletta’s Galley and be none the worse for wear. But now I am not so lucky, as the saying goes, a second on the lips and eternity on the hips. Not to mention that healthy eating is a way of life now. So I adapt, I refuse to give up the things I love so I make them fit my current life style. So that brings me to the real meat of the story.
I still make the real deal for the younger generation in my house but for the rest of us I now make a Pepper Cheesesteak. It has all the same great flavors and a whole lot less calories minus the roll. I use the same recipe for the sandwich meal as well.
So when you go to your grocery store there are a few different steak products out there. I personally can live without steak-umm but you can use this product, it is in the freezer section. I prefer to use the Old Neighborhood steak brand and it is low fat. http://www.oldneighborhoodfoods.com/products/shaved-meat/shaved-steak-map/
This product is in the fresh meat section of most grocery stores. the package states that it will serve 7, I get more like 4 or 5 it really depends on how chock full you make your pepper or sandwich if that is what you are making.
It is much easier if you prepare everything ahead of time, just makes things go smoother. You will need Red or Green Peppers, as you can tell from the pictures I prefer the red pepper. You will need to decide how many pepper cheesesteaks your household or you can eat. We eat 2 and sometimes split a 3rd just to give you an idea.
So for 1 package of meat I do 2 peppers, if the peppers are small you might need 3. I cut the peppers in have and clean out the seeds and stem. I then get 1 medium white onion and chop, then get 8 oz of white button mushrooms and slice them as well, I get the whole mushrooms, vs. the pre-sliced but either are good. Most recently I have started using baby bella mushrooms, they have a buttery flavor to them and add a nice flavor to the dish, but either type of mushrooms are good.
Finally you will need to decide what type of cheese you want I use Kraft Fat Free shredded cheddar cheese 1 package it is 1 3/4 cup (again the healthy thing going on) but feel free to use whatever cheese you like, plan on using 2 cups of the cheese you choose . It is better if you shred it,
After all this is done you will need to saute the onions and mushrooms, I do the onions first then add the mushrooms, you can cook them separately because they do cook differently so this will ensure that both are cooked properly, also not everyone likes both so this way you can customize the pepper or sandwich. Once the onions and mushrooms are cooked put them in a bowl and set aside.
You will now need to cook the steak, you can use the same pan that you cooked the mushrooms and onions in, the pan is now seasoned, you can add a little Pam so that the steak doesn’t stick but it really isn’t necessary. On medium high heat place the steak in the pan and cook til brown, it doesn’t need to cook long, it will cook in the oven as well so you are just cooking it to get it brown and to tear it apart. You will come up with your own method of breaking the meat up, (I use to wooden spoons, better for my pan) .Once the meat is brown turn off the heat, you will then add the onions and mushrooms and mix it up thoroughly.
Now we are ready to create your pepper steaks. Put your peppers in a 2 inch deep pan I use glass but metal is fine, they need to be hollow side up so you can fill them. First put your cheese at the bottom of the pepper, (remember that you will need to put the cheese on the bottom and the top so use accordingly) then you will divide your steak mixture between the peppers.
when they are filled you will need to cover them tightly with foil and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. The pepper should be tender, if it doesnt seem tender enough put back in oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove foil, take the remaining cheese and cover tops of pepper, place back in oven until cheese melts. Remove from oven and you are ready to go. You will notice in my picture that I have Zucchini Fries shown with the ingredients, with this meal I make Zucchini Fries, it gives you that cheesesteak and French fry meal without all the calories or fat.
Zuchinni Fries
I will post the Zucchini Fries Recipe along with the Cheesesteak recipe. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the peppers or the fries. would love to hear or see your version of this meal… Enjoy
Cheesesteak Peppers
If you are not a cheese lover or you can't eat cheese, you can make these peppers exactly the same way just omit the cheese. You will notice in my picture that I have Zucchini's shown with the ingredients, with this meal I make Zucchini Fries, it gives you that cheesesteak and French fry meal without all the calories or fat. One last note you can substitute shaved chicken meat for the beef if you are not a beef lover!!!
Ingredients
- 1 package shaved beef or shaved chicken
- 3/4 red or green peppers
- 1/2 lb mushrooms
- 1 medium onion
- 1 lb cheese american/cheddar/mozzarella/ your choice
Instructions
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1 package of meat I do 3 or 4 peppers.
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Cut the peppers in half and clean out the seeds and stem, Chop 1 medium white onion, slice 8 oz of white button mushrooms, I get the whole mushrooms, vs. the pre-sliced but either are good. Most recently I have started using baby Bella mushrooms, they have a buttery flavor to them and add a nice flavor to the dish, but either type of mushrooms are good. Finally you will need to decide what type of cheese you want I use Kraft Fat Free shredded cheddar cheese 1 package it is 1 3/4 cup (again the healthy thing going on) but feel free to use whatever cheese you like, plan on using 2 cups of the cheese you choose . It is better if you shred it,
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After all this is done you will need to sauté the onions and mushrooms, I do the onions first then add the mushrooms, you can cook them separately because they do cook differently so this will ensure that both are cooked properly, also not everyone likes both so this way you can customize the pepper or sandwich. Once the onions and mushrooms are cooked put them in a bowl and set aside.
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You will now need to cook the steak, you can use the same pan that you cooked the mushrooms and onions in, the pan is now seasoned, feel free to add a little Pam so that the steak doesn't stick but it really isn't necessary. On medium high heat place the steak in the pan and cook till brown, it doesn't need to cook long, it will cook in the oven as well so you are just cooking it to get it brown and to tear it apart. You will come up with your own method of breaking the meat up, (I use to wooden spoons, better for my pan) .Once the meat is brown turn off the heat, you will then add the onions and mushrooms and mix it up thoroughly.
-
Now we are ready to create your pepper steaks. Put your peppers in a 2 inch deep pan I use glass but metal is fine, they need to be hollow side up so you can fill them. First put your cheese at the bottom of the pepper, (remember that you will need to put the cheese on the bottom and the top so use accordingly) then you will divide your steak mixture between the peppers. When they are filled you will need to cover them tightly with foil and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. The pepper should be tender, if it doesn’t seem tender enough put back in oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove foil, take the remaining cheese and cover tops of pepper, place back in oven until cheese melts. Remove from oven and you are ready to go.