Make Almost Any Sandwich Norwegian-Style By Removing Part Of This Key Ingredient

From tortas to banh mi and PB&Js to croque monsieurs, sandwiches are a staple around the world. The bread-filling-bread concept has been around for centuries, but in Scandinavian countries like Norway, they do things a little differently.

Smørrebrød is a Scandinavian sandwich – called smørbrød in Norway — that is made open-faced, with only one slice of bread in the whole sandwich. The literal translation for smørbrød is "butter bread," highlighting how butter is used as a buffer between the base and toppings to prevent the bread from getting soggy. Aside from preventing sogginess, Norwegian-style smørbrød has another advantage over your typical sandwich: Having only one slice of bread emphasizes the flavors of the toppings without the extra carby layer on top. Technically, you could turn any sandwich into Norwegian style by removing the top layer of bread.

The custom of making these sandwiches started during the Industrial Revolution, when factory workers couldn't go home for a midday meal anymore. Instead, they packed open-faced sandwiches for lunch, starting with a piece of rye bread smeared with butter and layered with meat, smoked fish, or leftovers from the previous night's dinner. Over time, these open-faced sandwiches became popular throughout Nordic countries not only as casual meals, but also on holidays and in restaurants. 

Smørbrød topping combinations are endless: They can include seasonal variations and combinations made up of different meats, cheese, fish, pickles, eggs, vegetables, spreads including soft cheese with other things mixed in, and garnishes. In Norway and Denmark, they're so dedicated to the art of making these sandwiches that it's a career; a smørrebrødsjomfru is a trained specialist in making smørbrød. 

At home, naturally, sandwich-making is more casual, often with all the ingredients set out for people to choose their own combinations. The key flavor profiles of the smørbrød include smoked, pickled, cured, and salty items. Typical topping combinations include liver pate, mayonnaise, and pickled cucumber or beets; Jarlsberg cheese with cucumber or bell pepper; hard-boiled egg slices with kaviar (a caviar spread); and cheese with shrimp. 

Though usually eaten with a knife and fork, smørbrød is one of the best sandwich recipes made for lunch on the go. Norway is consistently ranked one of the happiest countries in the world, and though there are no doubt numerous contributing factors, the smørbrød has to be one of them. Therefore, smørbrød is one of the Scandinavian dishes you need to try at least once.