Polish Open Faced Kanapki (Printable Version)

Traditional Polish open-faced sandwiches with meats, cheeses, and fresh veggies on hearty rye bread.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 8 slices rye bread or baguette

→ Spreads

02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
03 - 2 tbsp cream cheese (optional)

→ Proteins & Cheeses

04 - 4 slices kielbasa or smoked ham
05 - 4 slices hard-boiled egg
06 - 4 slices yellow cheese (Edam or Gouda)

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

07 - 1 tomato, thinly sliced
08 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
09 - 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
10 - 8 radishes, thinly sliced
11 - Fresh chives or dill, chopped
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Arrange 8 slices of rye bread or baguette on a clean work surface.
02 - Spread each slice evenly with softened unsalted butter or cream cheese.
03 - Top each bread slice with your choice of kielbasa, smoked ham, hard-boiled egg, or yellow cheese.
04 - Arrange thin slices of tomato, cucumber, red onion, and radish over the toppings.
05 - Sprinkle with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped chives or dill.
06 - Serve immediately as open-faced sandwiches.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Zero cooking required, which means you can pull these together in minutes when hunger strikes and patience is nonexistent.
  • The combinations are endless, so everyone at the table gets exactly what they want without you playing short order cook.
02 -
  • Do not assemble these more than thirty minutes ahead or the bread will soften and the textures will collapse into sadness.
  • Patting tomato slices with a paper towel before placing them sounds fussy but completely prevents the dreaded soggy bottom.
03 -
  • Slice everything as thin as you possibly can because delicate layers stack beautifully and create a better ratio of flavors in each bite.
  • Let the butter sit out for at least an hour before spreading so it glides on smoothly without ripping the bread apart.

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