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Putong Babi - Pan de Sal with Pork

Putong Babi (say ‘pooh-tong bah-bee’), is a favorite bread snack in Pampanga, Philippines. These are open-faced Pan de Sal, the Filipino bun, sliced in half, with a ground meat- potatoes mixture nestled on it, coated with beaten eggs, cheese and bread crumbs on top. This whole assembly is then  pan-seared stove top, and pressed down with a turner to cook Panini-style. Makes a great snack. This is a recipe by Elizabeth Ann Quirino for The Quirino Kitchen.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Merienda, Snack
Cuisine: Asian, Filipino
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 167kcal
Author: Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Equipment

  • chopping board
  • Medium and small mixing bowls
  • Cheese grater
  • Large Non-stick Skillet - 12 to 14 inches diameter
  • Slotted or solid turner, to flatten the bun

Ingredients

Bread:

  • 10 pieces (45 grams each) large or medium sized Pan de Sal buns, sliced open

For the meat topping:

  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 whole (110 grams) medium-sized white or yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 whole (130 grams/4.6 ounces) medium-sized camote (sweet potato), cubed into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1/2 pound ground pork or beef; or combination of both
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon calamansi juice (or use lemon)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Putong Babi toppings:

  • 1 to 2 whole eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated cheese

Instructions

To prepare the Pan de Sal buns:

  • Slice the Pan de Sal in half. You should have 20 pieces open-faced buns. Keep them covered or in a bread box to prevent them from drying up or getting tough.

To cook the meat topping:

  • In a skillet, over medium heat, add the oil. When oil is hot enough, saute the garlic and onions.
    When onions are soft in about 2 minutes, add the cubed sweet potatoes. Cook till soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add the ground beef to the sweet potatoes in the skillet. Sprinkle the soy sauce and calamansi juice. Season with salt and pepper. Blend ingredients.
    Cover and cook till the ground meat is completely done, about 8 to 10 minutes.
    When meat is cooked, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

To assemble and cook the Putong Babi:

  • Beat the egg in a small bowl. Set aside.
    For each half of a pan de sal, place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cooked meat topping. Spread the meat on the bread.
    Pour about half a teaspoon of the beaten egg over the meat.
    Sprinkle with a teaspoon each of bread crumbs and grated cheese.
    Repeat this process for the rest of the pan de sal slices.
  • In a large non-stick skillet, over medium heat, add vegetable oil.
    Pan sear the open-faced bread slices, meat side down.
    Press down with a turner to flatten it. Brown each side for about 2 minutes.
    Flip the bread slice, meat side up, for even browning.
    Transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm.

Cook's comments:

  • Regular potatoes can be swapped for the camote (sweet potato).
    I have also added frozen green peas, chopped carrots and raisins to the ground meat mixture while cooking.
    I sometimes add a pat of butter instead of vegetable oil to the skillet. It adds a richer flavor to the Putong Babi.

Nutrition

Serving: 100grams | Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 687mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 1mg