Open-faced sandwiches (Chlebíčky)

Chlebíčky — Czech open-faced baguette sandwiches piled with potato salad, ham, egg, salami and pickle; the star of every celebration table.

Ingredients

• baguette1 pcs
• potato salad300 g
• ham150 g
• hard-boiled eggs3 pcs
• salami100 g
• pickle1 pcs
• Edam cheese100 g

Method

1. Prep all toppings first. Slice the hard-boiled eggs, pickle and Edam cheese into neat rounds or slices. Fold or roll the ham and salami so they sit proudly rather than lying flat — this is half the visual charm of chlebíčky.
2. Slice the baguette. Cut the baguette on a slight diagonal into 12 even slices, each roughly 1.5–2 cm thick. A slight angle gives you a larger surface to work on and looks more elegant on the plate.
3. Spread the potato salad. Spoon a generous, even layer of potato salad onto each slice — about a heaped tablespoon — spreading it right to the edges so every bite has flavour. The salad acts as both topping and the 'glue' that holds everything else in place.
4. Layer ham and salami. Lay a folded slice of ham onto half the prepared slices and a curl of salami onto the other half, or alternate to your liking. Tuck them slightly into the potato salad so they stay put.
5. Add egg and cheese. Place one slice of hard-boiled egg towards the centre of each chlebíček, then lean a slice of Edam against it at a slight angle for height.
6. Finish with pickle. Cut the pickle into thin rounds and place one or two on each sandwich as the final garnish — they add a sharp contrast to the richness of the salad and meat.
7. Arrange and serve. Arrange the finished chlebíčky on a board or flat platter in tight, neat rows — presentation is everything here. Serve straight away, or refrigerate uncovered for no more than an hour so the bread stays crisp.

Safety & hygiene Important

• Hard-boiled egg storage. If you are boiling eggs specifically for this recipe, cool them quickly in cold water, peel and refrigerate until needed. Assembled chlebíčky contain egg and dressed potato salad, so do not leave them at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Potato salad temperature. Ready-made or home-made potato salad should be kept refrigerated right up until you spread it. Starchy dressed salads can harbour bacteria quickly at room temperature, so keep the finished sandwiches chilled if not eating immediately.