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Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich {Classic Pittsburgh Sandwich}

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Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich is an open face turkey sandwich that is part of the Pittsburgh sandwich’s origins. This turkey Devonshire is perfect if you are craving a taste of Pittsburgh. The Devonshire recipe is a hot sandwich recipe that is very satisfying. 

 

Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich 2

 

Pittsburgh Girl

 I  am a Pittsburgh girl who lives in Cleveland. Life can be interesting. Why? I am a native Pittsburgher living in Cleveland.

It is a football thing. Plus I get made fun of because I have the Pittsburgh accent. Clevelanders cannot understand my Pittsburghese.

I didn’t know I actually spoke another language until I moved to Cleveland. Why? Well here is a little history lesson for you on Pittsburghese.

When immigrants were coming over to the US to live, something interesting happened in PA. In the Pittsburgh region, you learn they did not want anyone to feel out-of-place.

There is a huge diversity of people from different countries in the Pittsburgh area. They all started adopting how they talked. That is why you have “gum bands” and “yinz” in the Pittsburgh language.

 

Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich long pin

Pittsburgh Sandwiches

Why am I telling you all about my hometown of Pittsburgh? I decided to do the Devonshire Sandwich which is part of the Pittsburgh sandwiches family.

Pittsburgh has plenty of Pittsburgh sandwiches. The most famous of the Pittsburgh recipes is the Primanti Bros Sandwich.

 

Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich Title 2

 

Turkey Devonshire

So I thought let’s do another famous sandwich, the turkey Devonshire. Yes, the Devonshire recipe was invented in Pittsburgh. That open-face turkey sandwich is a Pittsburgh original recipe.

Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich

 

Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich

The Devonshire sandwich originated in the 1930s by a man named Frank Blandi. He first served them at The Stratford in the Shadyside neighborhood.

The name for this sandwich came to him when he operated the Lemont Restaurant in Mount Washington Looking down at the city of Pittsburgh, he could see Devonshire Street. He thought that would make a good name for a sandwich. That is how the Pittsburgh Devonshire sandwich got it’s name!

 

The Devonshire

The Devonshire sauce is what makes this sandwich. That cheese sauce on this open face sandwich is so wonderful. Here is this hot sandwich recipe from Frank Blandi.

I got The original Devonshire recipe from an old Pittsburgh Post-Gazette clipping. So enjoy this open face turkey sandwich that is part of the Pittsburgh sandwiches.

 

turkey devonshire

 

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Yield: 2 sandwiches

Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich Recipe

turkey devonshire

Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich is a sandwich you can make if you're craving a taste of Pittsburgh. Anyone who has lived in Pittsburgh knows the rich, satisfying open-face sandwich that was created by Frank Blandi.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 stick butter (melted)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 pound Cheddar cheese (grated)
  • 1 pint chicken broth
  • 1 pint hot milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 slice good toast (crusts trimmed off)
  • 3 slices crisp bacon
  • 5 slices thin cooked turkey breast
  • Cream Sauce (recipe above)
  • Melted butter
  • Parmesan cheese and paprika

Instructions

  1. To make the Cream Sauce:
  2. Melt 3/4 stick butter in deep pan and add flour, stirring constantly.
  3. Add chicken broth and then hot milk and salt, for 20 minutes, still stirring.
  4. Cool to lukewarm. Beat with wire whip until smooth before using. This makes enough sauce for 6 Devonshire sandwiches.
  5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  6. In each flat, individual oven-proof casserole dish, place 1 slice of toast and top with 3 slices bacon.
  7. Add 5 thin slices of cooked turkey breast.
  8. Cover completely with cream sauce.
  9. Sprinkle with a little melted butter, then with the combined Parmesan cheese and paprika.
  10. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  11. Take out the oven and ENJOY!

Nutrition Information:


Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0

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Deanna Samaan
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Deborah M. Franzetta

Friday 27th of November 2020

Dee, I just read through your recipe for the Pittsburgh Devonshire Sandwich. I have made this numerous times before, using a different recipe. Your recipe is a bit confusing in that it says it makes 2 sandwiches, where the sauce recipe says it makes enough for 6 sandwiches. A bit confusing..

Deborah M. Franzetta

Sunday 29th of November 2020

@Deanna Samaan, I just halfed the sauce recipe and it was more than enough for making 4 sandwiches..Great Pittsburgh recipe for sure..

Deanna Samaan

Friday 27th of November 2020

I will admit it is confusing. This recipe was originally posted in the Pittsburgh Post Gazzette from the original restaurant it came from. I do recall, when I made this, how much sauce I had leftover.

I have not got to this recipe yet to update, I agree that should be updated the amounts of bread, turkey bacon so can use up the sauce.

Chellee Siegel

Saturday 8th of February 2020

Being from Pittsburgh, I remember this sandwich from Frank Blandi being served at our Pittsburgh Playhouse first and second at his Park Schenley Restaurant next.. The Lemont came later. The Turkey Devonshire sandwich, sometimes simply called a Devonshire, originated in 1934 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is typically served as a hot open faced sandwich on toasted bread with hot turkey, bacon, tomatoes, and a cheese sauce

It was created by Frank Blandi (1907-1999),[6] a Sicilian American, who first served them at the Stratford Club located at the corner of Centre Ave. and Millvale Ave. on the border between Pittsburgh's Bloomfield and Shadyside neighborhoods. The club had an English atmosphere and the sandwich was named after the classy sounding Devonshire St. which is one block away. There was an article written by Woodene Merriman in our Post Gazette call, "A Taste of Pittsburgh" with all the correct facts about this sandwich. This article has the original recipe. Chellee Siegel, Boca Raton, orginally from Pittsburgh

Christine Dunbar

Wednesday 4th of December 2019

I have been looking for a Turkey Devonshire recipe for a long time. I too was born in raised in Pittsburgh and now live elsewhere but my heart will always be in Pittsburgh. I did not know this was a Pittsburgh born recipe. That explains why I never saw it on a menu anywhere else. I first had Turkey Devonshire at a restaurant in Oakland named Nina's (possibly Nino's) that I believe was on S. Craig Street. They served the dish in a crock type of bowl that might be used for serving french onion soup as well. There was a toasted round of bread in the bottom of the bowl and then loaded up with turkey, bacon and the cream sauce and topped with cheese. I might add some sautéd fresh mushrooms. I didn't know how to replicate this recipe on my own, so thank you so much for publishing this. Round 3 of Thanksgiving turkey is going to be awesome!

ron

Friday 22nd of February 2019

great article on the devonshire btw the restaurant you mentioned on mt washington did not exist in the 30's

Claudia Cunningham

Wednesday 6th of November 2019

RON?? Did you even read her words?? she wrote that "The Devonshire sandwich originated in the 1930s by a man named Frank Blandi. He first served them at The Stratford in the Shadyside neighborhood". "The name for this sandwich came to him when he operated the Lemont Restaurant in Mount Washington Looking down at the city of Pittsburgh, he could see Devonshire Street. He thought that would make a good name for a sandwich". That is how the Pittsburgh Deveonshire sandwich got it’s name"!

Stacey Lucas

Tuesday 1st of May 2018

I loved turkey Devonshires growing up and can't believe I just found out it was a native Pittsburgh dish. My question is with the shredded cheddar cheese. It's listed in the ingredients but not in the preparation.

Deanna

Thursday 3rd of May 2018

Yep! It a Pittsburgh invention! Yes, it is, that was my fault I need to add that, thanks for catching that!

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