The softened sautéed onions peek out of the fresh rye or crusty bread slices layered with fried baloney.
I think I had my first fried baloney sandwich when I was four years-old. I sank my teeth into the sautéed onions layered with the baloney fried in lard, stacked on either thin fresh slices of soft rye or crusty bread. You could serve it on white bread in a pinch, but for maximum authenticity, I recommend a bread that can stand up to the baloney.
Wait! Did I say lard!? Yes. Lard. It's a natural fat with flavor. Don't let it scare you. It imparts flavor to cabbage, potatoes, noodles, and meats that olive or vegetable oil just can't do. I'm not saying make it a dietary staple; but don't run from it for sure! There just is no substitute for it in many dishes. And in this case - the melted lard drips onto the bread, reminiscent of Hungarian zsíros kenyér (pronounced zhirdosh-kenya), or "greasy bread".
I'm mostly Hungarian by heritage. My grandmother, my "Gan," recently passed away, and I guess that's why I'm thinking about the foods she famously made. One of my favorite memories is making Hungarian greasy bread with her around a backyard fire pit, melting a slab of pork fat over the flames, and then drenching its juices over fresh rye bread, optionally garnishing it with raw onion. Like many past times, it's hard to say what was enjoyed more - the flavor or the experience - but they are surrounded by loved ones and food.
Get out your fresh bread! I found a great Portuguese Loaf at the store that I couldn't resist! But a soft rye bread would do this sandwich justice, too.
Ingredients:
4 large slices of freshly baked rye bread (You can substitute Portuguese loaf, or a crusty bread with a soft inside; even white bread will do in a pinch.)
1 - 1/4" wide slice of lard (Hey, if you deviate from this and use Crisco or something else, you're just not going to get the authenticity of this sandwich, I'm tellin' ya!)
6 slices of German bologna (you can use Oscar Meyer if you have to)
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
Get out your frying pan.
Instructions:
1. Get out your frying pan.
Lard can be found in your general grocery store. It's shelf stable. It's in a large brick, similar to butter. Just cut a thin slice and use it as you would instead of olive or vegetable oil. You can melt it over medium heat and it turns into a liquid. Despite popular claims that lard is unhealthy; lard is a rendered fat from meat that is totally natural. Your body will be able to break down the components of lard much more easily than any chemically altered fat or fat substitute. It's a "good" fat. Just like anything, use it in moderation.
2. Cut 1/4" slice of lard and melt it in the pan.
Slice the onions.
3. Slice a 1/2 an onion. Start frying the slices in the pan, giving it a little stir every now and then.
Take 5 - 6 slices of bologna and cut them into strips.
4. Stack the slices of bologna and slice it into strips. Separate the strips and place them in the pan with the onions.
The onions will finish softening as the bologna mingles with them.
5. When the onions are soft, and the bologna is heated through, it's all done! Start layering the bologna and onions on a slice of bread. There's enough for two sandwiches, so distribute the filling evenly.
Layer the onions and bologna on the bread.
6. Cover each caramelized onion and bologna layer with another slice of fresh bread, and enjoy!
I don't feel there's any need for mustard, but if you must.... :) I like a good deli pickle served on the side, too!
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