Polish Kanapki (Open-Faced Sandwiches)
Classic Polish kanapki are open-faced sandwiches made with buttered sourdough, smoked meats, cheese, egg, tomato, and crunchy Krakus dill pickles. They’re a no-cook, nostalgic platter that’s ready in 15 minutes and disappears just as fast.
Equipment
- Serrated bread knife
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Butter knife or small offset spatula
- Egg slicer (optional)
- Serving platter or board
Ingredients
- 12 slices fresh bread sliced about ½ inch thick (I used sourdough)
- 6 tablespoons European-style butter softened
- 4 oz smoked turkey thinly sliced
- 4 oz gypsy ham thinly sliced
- 4 oz kielbasa thinly sliced
- 4 oz cheese sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced into rounds
- 3 hard-boiled eggs peeled and sliced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 4 Krakus Polish dill pickles sliced into coins, plus extra for serving
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the toppings. Slice the tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs into rounds, thinly slice the green onion, and slice the Krakus dill pickles into coins. Pat the tomato and pickle slices dry with a paper towel.
- Butter the bread. Spread each slice of bread with a generous layer of softened butter, all the way to the edges.
- Add the meat. Top 4 slices with smoked turkey, 4 with gypsy ham, and 4 with kielbasa.
- Add the toppings. Layer on cheese, tomato, egg, or pickle coins, mixing and matching however you like.
- Finish. Sprinkle each kanapka with green onion, salt, and pepper.
- Serve. Arrange on a platter with a bowl of Krakus pickles on the side, and serve right away.
Video
Notes
Make ahead: Slice all the toppings up to 2 days ahead and store them separately in the fridge. Butter the bread and assemble right before serving.
Butter to the edges: The butter seals the bread so juicy toppings don’t make it soggy.
Food safety: Don’t leave assembled kanapki at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Freezing: Assembled kanapki don’t freeze well.
Variations: Try radish, horseradish, Polish mustard, or fresh dill.
Butter to the edges: The butter seals the bread so juicy toppings don’t make it soggy.
Food safety: Don’t leave assembled kanapki at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Freezing: Assembled kanapki don’t freeze well.
Variations: Try radish, horseradish, Polish mustard, or fresh dill.