Chlebíčky – Czech Open Sandwiches

Chlebíčky are legendary Czech party food. These open sandwiches look pretty and thanks to their bread-garnish ratio they taste great. Let’s learn how to make some of them.

Chlebíčky sandwiches were invented at the beginning of the 20th century by a shop owner in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic). They’re small slices of bread with spread and garnish and they’re a very popular party food. You can read more about the Czech open sandwiches here on Czechology.

I will show you how to make four types of sandwiches.

Serves about 6 pieces of each.

• sliced white baguette, one slice per sandwich

All the spreads taste even better if made a little ahead and rested over night. However, if you don’t have the time, don’t worry about it and just make it right before you make the sandwiches.

Ham or Ham and cheese sandwiches

spread (vlašský salát)

• 100 g of boiled potatoes
• 50 g of pork ham, chopped
• 20 g of gherkins, chopped
• 10 g of pickled peas
• 10 g of boiled celery, chopped
• 15 g of boiled carrot, chopped
• 100 g of mayonnaise
• 5 g of mustard
• 1 tsp of vinegar
• 1/4 tsp of sugar
• 1/4 tsp of salt

A more simple alterative would be pařížský salát (Paris salad) in which you skip the potatoes and carrot.

garnish

• 6 slices of pork ham
• 6 slices of chicken ham or 6 slices of cheese
• 6 slices of gherkin,
• 6 small pieces of red pepper
• 6 egg slices
• some mustard

Budapest sandwiches

spread

• 125 g of cottage cheese
• 1/2 tbsp of butter, softened
• 1 tsp of ground red paprika
• 1 tbsp of finely chopped red pepper
• 1/2 small onion, chopped finely
• 1/4 tsp of salt

garnish

• 6 slices of ham
• 6 slices of cheese or 6 half eggs
• some chopped red pepper
• chopped wild garlic (alternatively some parsley leaves)

Cheese and garlic sandwiches

spread

• 70 g of grated Eidamer cheese
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 100-150 g of mayonnaise

garnish

• 6 slices of cheese
• 6 tomato slices
• 6 half grapes
• 6 leaves of rocket (arugula)

Egg sandwiches

spread

• 3 eggs, boiled
• salt and pepper to taste
• 100 g of mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp of butter
• 1 tsp of mustard
• 1 tbsp of chopped onion

garnish

• 18 slices of pork ham
• 6 egg slices
• some mustard
• parsley leaves

This is one of the most common types of open sandwich.

Mix all the ingredients for the spread. If you don’t have pickled peas, just use canned or boiled peas.

Put a nice thick layer of the spread on the bread slices and then place the garnish on top of it. Fold or roll the ham (and cheese) and place the egg slice in the center of the bread. The gherkin and red pepper slices come around it and just a drop of mustard on the egg.

This sandwich bears the name of the spread which is called the Budapest spread and is very popular in the Czech Republic.

Mix the ingredients for the spread and make sure the butter is evenly distributed.

First, smear the bread with the spread and then distribute the garnish in any way you like. I like to add chopped wild garlic but you can use other green aromatic herbs that you like.

The garlic spread is also very popular in the Czech Republic. The cheese typically used is the Eidamer cheese but you can really use any hard cheese you like. Also the amount of garlic is up to you.

Mix all the ingredients for the spread and here I would really recommend to let it rest at least for two hours because the garlic taste will become stronger with time.

Once again, nice layer of the spread comes on each slice of bread. Fold the cheese slice (here I use Ementhaler) and place it in the center. Place the tomato, grape and rocket leaf around it.

For the spread, mix egg yolks with mustard, mayonnaise and butter, add chopped onion, chopped egg white, salt and pepper and mix well.

Smear the bread slices with the spread.

Roll three ham slices and arrange them on the bread slice (3 slices for bread slice), the egg slice in the center, a little mustard on the egg and decorate with a parsley leaf.

Serve chlebíčky ideally on large plates nicely arranged by type.