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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Hot Open Faced Sandwich with Fried Turkey

    Published: Oct 20, 2022 · Modified: Aug 31, 2024 by Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs · Leave a Comment

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    • 45shares

    Looking for a tasty quick meal or a hot snack? This open-faced sandwich with a spicy turkey and veggie blend will satisfy both cravings. I promise you'll love it!

    Open faced hot sandwich made with turkey and vegetable mixture, served on a plate with a fork.

    ➜ About this recipe

    Just to be clear. We Czechs call this recipe "Ďábelské topinky", which could be translated as devilish toasties. It's a slice of crusty pan-fried bread topped with a hot meat and vegetable mixture seasoned with pepper and chili flakes.

    The recipe's benefit is that the topping can be made with any leftovers that are found in the refrigerator. You are given plenty of leeway to play around with the preparation because the recipe is not given in its entirety.

    The core of the spicy mixture is always meat and vegetables. I used leftover turkey fillet, but feel free to substitute it with raw chicken, lean pork, or even sausage! 

    MY TIP: Have you heard of the chlebicky, classic Czech open-faced sandwiches? These are beautiful slabs of sliced veka bread or baguettes garnished with potato salad, vegetables, various types of sausages, and sliced cheese. Often served at holiday gatherings, parties, and New Year's Eve celebrations!

    ➜ Ingredients

    Ingredients for hot open-faced sandwich, with captions.

    To make a hot open-faced sandwich with turkey and veggies, you need:

    For pan-fried bread:

    • Slices of bread; about ⅓-1/2 inch thick. Rye bread is best; feel free to use stale bread two-three days old. The bread you see in the recipe is called Moskva in the Czech Republic. It is baked with 100% rye, and the loaf is typically square in shape. The recipe also works well with any white crusty bread cut into slices.
    • Butter; to spread on both sides of a bread slice. Later, we fry the slice in a frying pan.

    Fun fact: A slice of old bread pan-fried in fat is called topinka in the Czech language!

    For the turkey sandwich topping:

    • Turkey breast meat; feel free to replace the turkey with chicken breast or pork tenderloin. The meat should be raw, as it needs to be fried in a pan.
    • Yellow onion
    • Frying oil; such as sunflower or rapeseed oil
    • Fresh garlic
    • Tomato passata; not ketchup or tomato paste. Tomato passata is made from pressed tomatoes that have been cooked and reduced to produce a thick juice.
    • Bell pepper
    • For seasoning: salt, black pepper, and chili flakes
    • To garnish: Green spring onion, green part, chopped into rings. Or fresh parsley, both for added color.

    ✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

    ➜ Instructions with photos

    STEP 1: Cut the turkey fillet into small cubes. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel the garlic clove and mash it with a knife or push it through a press. Clean the bell pepper and cut it into short strips.

    Bell pepper, onions, garlic cloves and turkey fillet cut into cubes.

    TIP: Learn how to cut a bell pepper into rings

    STEP 2: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and fry while stirring for about three minutes until soft. Add the turkey meat to the onions, season with a little salt, and fry for about 3-5 minutes, until the juices released by the meat have evaporated.

    Frying onions and turkey stripes in a skillet.

    STEP 3: Mix in the chopped peppers and tomato passata. Reduce the heat to low and sauté for about 5 minutes. The peppers will soften, and the tomato passata will thicken the mixture. Add a bit of water if the passata is too thick or evaporates too quickly.

    Making turkey veggie mixture with tomato passata in a hot skillet.

    STEP 4: Remove the skillet from heat, add the chili flakes, and season with pepper and salt to taste. Set the mixture aside and keep it warm in the pan.

    Seasoning a mixture of veggies and turkey meat in a skillet with chili flakes.

    STEP 5: Fry the slices of bread: Spread a thin layer of butter on both sides of each bread slice. Cook the bread in a frying pan over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. It takes about two minutes on each side if the pan is hot enough. Make sure not to burn the bread.

    Frying a slice of bread in a skillet.
    Pan-fried slice of bread in a skillet.

    STEP 6: Assemble the hot open faced sandwich: Layer a warm turkey and vegetable mixture on a slice of fried bread. Serve with sliced green spring onions, and enjoy!

    Open faced hot sandwich made with turkey and vegetable mixture, served on a plate with a fork.

    ➜ How to eat a hot open faced sandwich

    If the bread forms a firm base, is comfortable to hold in hand, and is not piled high with too much hot mixture, it can be eaten by picking it up and taking individual bites. I always recommend having a paper napkin and/or plate on hand to catch any crumbs or mess.

    If you're dining in a setting where formal dining etiquette is expected, eat a hot open-faced sandwich with a fork and knife, even if it could be eaten with your hands.

    This open-faced turkey sandwich dish is quick and simple, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner.

    ➜ Useful tips

    • Depending on your taste preferences, adjust the intensity of the mixture. If you like your food spicy, add more chili flakes or chopped hot peppers to the mixture.
    • Optional (but I recommend it for cheese lovers): Add a layer of grated cheese to the sandwich. A good choice is Edam, Cheddar, or your other favorite cheese.
    • This hot turkey sandwich contains no additional sauce. The meat and vegetable mixture is bound together with a tomato passata that thickens slightly as it cooks.

    More delicious recipes:

    • Roasted cheese carrot sandwich
    • Stuffed banana peppers
    • Šumavská topinka

    Tried this recipe?

    Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Other readers and I love hearing what you think. Stay in touch by following me on Facebook and Pinterest. For more Czech stuff, subscribe to my newsletter!

    Open faced hot sandwich made with turkey and vegetable mixture, served on a plate with a fork.

    Hot Open Faced Sandwich with Fried Turkey

    Author: Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs
    Looking for a tasty quick meal or a hot snack? This open-faced sandwich with a spicy turkey and veggie blend will satisfy both cravings. I promise you will love it!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
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    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
    Total Time: 30 minutes mins
    Servings: 2 sandwiches

    Tap or hover to scale

    Ingredients 

    Pan-fried bread:

    • 2 slices rye bread
    • 2 teaspoons butter

    Spicy Turkey Veggie mixture:

    • 5 ounces turkey breast fillet
    • 2 Tablespoons sunflower oil (or canola)
    • 1 medium onion peeled and chopped
    • 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
    • ¾ cup tomato passata
    • ⅓ paprika bell fresh
    • ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
    • 1 pinch ground black pepper ground
    • salt
    • 2 Tablespoons green spring onion rings to garnish

    Instructions 

    • Cut 5 ounces turkey breast fillet into small cubes. Peel and finely chop 1 medium onion. Peel and mince 1 clove garlic. Clean ⅓ paprika bell and cut it into short strips.
    • Heat 2 Tablespoons sunflower oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for about three minutes until soft. Add the turkey, season with a little salt, and cook for 3-5 minutes until the juices from the meat have evaporated.
    • Mix in the chopped peppers and ¾ cup tomato passata. Reduce the heat to low and sauté for about 5 minutes. The peppers will soften, and the tomato passata will thicken the mixture. Add a bit of water if the passata is too thick or evaporates too quickly.
    • Remove the skillet from heat, add the ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, and season with 1 pinch ground black pepper and salt to taste. Set the mixture aside and keep it warm in the pan.
    • Fry the slices of bread: Spread a thin layer of 2 teaspoons butter on both sides of each of 2 slices rye bread. Cook the bread in a frying pan over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. It takes about two minutes on each side if the pan is hot enough. Make sure not to burn the bread.
    • Assemble the hot open faced sandwich: Layer a warm turkey and vegetable mixture on a slice of fried bread. Serve with 2 Tablespoons green spring onion rings, and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Makes 2 hot open-faced sandwiches.
    • Depending on your taste preferences, adjust the intensity of the mixture. If you like your food spicy, add more chili flakes or chopped hot peppers to the mixture.
    • Optional (but I recommend it for cheese lovers): Add a layer of grated cheese to the sandwich. A good choice is Edam, Cheddar, or your other favorite cheese.

    Nutritional estimate pro serving

    Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 385mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 604IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 3mg
    Servings: 2 sandwiches
    Calories pro serving: 372
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Quick Dinner
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    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.
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    Hi there, I am Petra, born and raised in the Czech Republic, a self-taught home cook with over 20 years of experience. I am on a mission to keep Czech culinary heritage alive by sharing cherished recipes & stories with nostalgic hearts worldwide.

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