Ok, I may not have been born and raised in Pittsburgh....and I sure as heck am not a Steeler fan {sorry...eek!} but I am a huge huge fan of the Pittsburgh food scene, and really the city in general! I attended college in the Steel City and I will never forget the first time I ordered a salad that came topped with fries, or had "cat on a stick" on the streets of the South Side while bar hopping, or ate the best slice of pizza I have ever eaten...
...but no food memory comes close to the first time I bit into a Primanti Bros sandwich. You know the type of sandwich I'm talking about... the kind that you can't put down once you pick it up ... literally ... not only because it's so good but also because you can't figure out how to put it down without it falling apart since it's stuffed with so much goodness.
Primanti Bros sandwiches are prepared on soft Italian bread, packed with meat and cheese, fried eggs, sausages -- then the whole thing is topped with tomatoes, a vinegar based coleslaw and fresh cut french fries. And don't even think about asking for a sandwich without the proper toppings.... I've seen it attempted and it didn't go well... {however I do seem to remember a certain beautiful friend of mine who always got her sandwich without coleslaw -- she always knows how to break the rules ;) }
So after spending the weekend in Pittsburgh {and shamefully unable to enjoy a PB sandwich} I just had to make some at home. My husband declared these sandwiches as delicious as the original -- it all comes down to the slaw and the bread. Also, we used frozen and baked french fries out of pure laziness. :)
Spicy Cajun Chicken Pittsburgh-Style Sandwiches (makes 2)
Chicken:
1 large chicken breast, pounded to 1/4 inch thin
EVOO, for drizzling
salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Coleslaw:
1/2 small head of cabbage, shredded
1/8 c. sugar
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Assembly:
4 thick slices soft italian bread
4 slices tomato
4 slices provolone or american cheese
2 handfuls hot french fries
Start with coleslaw: (may be made up to 24 hours in advance) In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper until sugar dissolves. Add shredded cabbage, toss to combine with dressing and place in refrigerator for at least an hour.
Drizzle chicken with EVOO on both sides then sprinkle each side with spices. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to marinate. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and cook chicken breast until no longer pink, 8-12 minutes.
Assemble sandwiches: place one slice of bread on plate, top with cheese, chicken, tomato, coleslaw and french fries. Top with another slice of bread and press down as you cut in half. Enjoy with hot sauce and many beers.
