Primanti's Famous Sandwiches

 

I was hesitant to tackle this legendary sandwich, but the craving for this Pittsburgh favorite was overpowering. I was pleasantly surprised that this recipe was pretty close to the real thing! The secret to making amazing imitation Primanti's sandwiches is using the freshest ingredients you can find. You really can't replace any component of this sandwich with anything other than homemade or it just doesn't work. This recipe will feed a crowd, but can easily be modified for fewer people. You can really substitute any meat, but turkey and pastrami are a couple of our favorites. Make the coleslaw ahead, but the fries immediately before you assemble your sandwiches. You won't be disappointed!

 

Primanti Bros. Famous Sandwiches

From The Washington Post and The Brown Eyed Baker

 

Hand Cut French Fries

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes
6 cups vegetable oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt and let dry. Cut the sides off to square the potatoes. Cut lengthwise. Heat the oil in a large pot until boiling. Drop fries into the oil and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, carefully stirring often. The fries should be slightly crispy and golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove fries from the oil and place onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: When using the fries for sandwiches, I put them into a warm oven while assembling the other ingredients.

 

Oil and Vinegar Coleslaw

Ingredients:
1 medium head green cabbage, shredded (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
pepper, to taste

Combine cabbage, sugar, salt and celery seed in a colander and toss to coat. Set colander over a large bowl. Place in refrigerator for about 4 hours. Discard the drained liquid from the bowl. Transfer the cabbage to a large bowl. Add the oil and vinegar and toss to coat. Add pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

Sandwiches

Ingredients:
Butter
1 loaf Italian bread, cut unto thick slices
1 lb. sliced deli pastrami
1 lb. sliced deli turkey
1 lb. provolone cheese
Hand Cut French Fries
Oil and Vinegar Coleslaw
Tomatoes, sliced

Heat about a tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully place pastrami (or turkey) into skillet, layering 2 to 3 slices, depending on thickness of the meat. Flip to heat both sides. You will need to add a bit more butter with each batch to prevent the meat from sticking to the pan. To assemble sandwiches, lay 2 slices of bread on a piece of wax paper. Using a spatula, remove meat and place on one slice of bread. add 2 slices of provolone cheese. Next add a large handful of fries followed by a large handful of coleslaw. Top off with 2 slices of tomato then the other slice of bread. Cut sandwich in half and wrap in the wax paper. Serve immediately. Repeat until desired number of sandwiches are made.

Note: No need to try to make these look pretty. These are sloppy to begin with, so don't be afraid to use your hands! The assembly goes pretty quickly, so you might want to enlist a helper.