Polish Open Faced Sandwiches (Printable Version)

Traditional Polish open-faced sandwiches with rye bread, butter, meats and fresh vegetables.

# What You Need:

01 - 8 slices rye bread or rustic white bread

02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

03 - 3.5 ounces cream cheese (optional)

04 - 4 slices smoked ham

05 - 4 slices Polish sausage (kielbasa), thinly sliced

06 - 4 slices hard-boiled eggs

07 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced

08 - 4 radishes, thinly sliced

09 - 1 small tomato, thinly sliced

10 - 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

11 - 8 small cornichons or Polish pickles, sliced

12 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

01 - Lay out the 8 bread slices on a serving platter or cutting board.

02 - Spread each slice evenly with softened butter, cream cheese, or a combination of both.

03 - Layer assorted toppings on each bread slice, combining ham, kielbasa, hard-boiled egg, cucumber, radish, tomato, and red onion as desired.

04 - Lightly season each assembled kanapki with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

05 - Top with sliced pickles or cornichons and a sprinkle of finely chopped chives. Serve immediately.

01 -

Zero cooking required, which means you get all the satisfaction of feeding people without ever turning on the stove.
The combinations are endless, so everyone at the table can build exactly what they are craving.
They turn ordinary ingredients into something that looks like it came from a European cafe.

02 -

Do not assemble these more than thirty minutes ahead or the bread will soften and lose the sturdy texture that makes them satisfying to eat.
Drying wet vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers on a paper towel before placing them is the difference between a neat sandwich and a soggy one.

03 -

Slightly stale rye bread actually works better than fresh because it stands up to toppings without collapsing or bending.
Fold or roll your meat slices instead of laying them flat to give each sandwich height and a more inviting appearance.