When sandwiches are mentioned, everyone has their own favourites. Sandwiches eaten during our school days in the seventies were very basic, as every Indian school-going child will remember. Mostly white bread with butter and jam, or if you were lucky, cheese and butter. Cheese was a luxury which not everyone had, especially in India. If you were lucky and had relatives staying abroad, then you would receive small tins of Kraft cheese. Of course, Amul cheese cubes were already around, but were a little out of reach for an average middle-class family.
Back to sandwiches, my grandfather always had a slice of bread with green coriander and mint chutney as his evening snack. Those were the days when chutney was made using a grinding stone. The aroma of fresh mint and coriander leaves being crushed with green chillies and garlic is, till today, etched in my memory.
Whoever has lived in Pune, even for a short time, will surely know about the Marzorin sandwiches. Soft crustless bread filled with chicken, eggs, tomato, and chutney. I crave these sandwiches even today, and they are a must on all my visits to Pune.
Today’s recipe is a mixture of all my childhood memories.
Credit for the chicken pâté filling goes to my friend Hilda Mascarenhas, who writes a wonderful food blog, hildastouchofspice.com. Do visit her food blog.
The Cold Sandwich Cake
Basically, you will require three types of fillings and 16 slices of crustless bread.
Ingredients for Chicken Pâté
- 1 chicken breast
- 3 to 4 tbsps mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp mustard paste
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tbsps grated cucumber (helps to keep the filling moist)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped celery leaves
Method
- Boil the chicken in water seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Discard the bones and put the meat in a food processor along with chopped celery.
- Pulse and transfer the shredded chicken to a bowl.
- Add mayonnaise, mustard, honey, and cucumber.
- Mix well to get a moist mixture. Keep aside.
Ingredients for the Second Layer
- 4 boiled eggs, sliced
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced cucumber
- Butter
Ingredients for the Third Layer
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
- 2 green chillies
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt, to taste
- A pinch of sugar
- 4 slices cheese
Method
- Blend basil leaves, green chillies, garlic, lime juice, and mayonnaise to get a smooth green spread.
- Season with salt and a pinch of sugar.
Other Ingredients
- Finely sliced radishes
- Shredded carrot
- Shredded lettuce leaves
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Mayonnaise
Assembly Method
- Place 4 slices of bread on a serving platter in a neat square.
- Apply butter thinly and spread the chicken pâté evenly over all 4 slices.
- Cover with 4 slices of bread. Apply butter lightly and top with sliced tomatoes, sliced eggs, and sliced cucumber. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover with another 4 slices of bread. Apply the basil mayonnaise and top with 4 slices of cheese in a single layer.
- Lastly, top with the remaining 4 slices of bread, with the underside spread with basil mayonnaise.
- Press down gently and apply mayonnaise all over the sandwich, covering all sides.
- Gently press shredded lettuce and carrots all over the sides and top.
- Decorate with radish slices, cucumber slices, and alfalfa sprouts.
To Serve
Chill thoroughly, cut into wedges, and serve.
A beautiful centrepiece is ready for your parties.
As always a very beautifully written introduction…. I can almost hear the music of the seventies…. they sound absolutely delicious ♥️