This week on the magazine, Ed Simon tells us the story of Pittsburgh’s iconic Turkey Devonshire, a 1935 creation of Frank Blandi, the son of Sicilian immigrants. “Technically, the dish is an open-faced sandwich,” Simon explains, “but that’s like calling the Empire State Building an office park or the Golden Gate Bridge a water crossing.”

According to Ed (and many others), the best place to get a Turkey Devonshire is at Union Grill in Pittsburgh. We sent local photographer Richard Kelly to capture the restaurant’s take on the dish. “The Turkey Devonshire has become a slightly forgotten classic,” Chef Vic told us. “It’s an old school dish that not many restaurants serve anymore. Because of our proximity to the area of its origination, we have a great following from the local community.”

You can give Union Grill a visit, or make the sandwich yourself—they were kind enough to share their recipe!

-Belt editors

Recipe: Turkey Devonshire
Union Grill | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Ingredients
Sandwich
6 to 8 oz roasted turkey
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
One thick piece of toast
Three slices of bacon

Devonshire Sauce
1 quart of heavy whipping cream
2 oz cheddar cheese
2 oz Swiss cheese
2 oz provolone cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Making the Sauce
-Bring heavy cream to a boil
-Turn off the heat and add Cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses
-Whisk until smooth, and cheese is completely melted and incorporated
-Add Parmesan, whisk until smooth
-Remove from heat (sauce will thicken as it slightly cools)

*Taste before you add salt and pepper; Parmesan can have a salty flavor, and you may not need to add anything to it.

Sandwich Assembly
-Add the slice of toast to a casserole dish or pan
-Add turkey (evenly)
-Top the turkey with diced tomatoes and sauce
-Place in the oven on the broiler setting until browned.
-When finished, top with the strips of bacon

*Eat with a knife and fork

Enjoy! ■

Cover image of Union Grill’s Turkey Devonshire. Photo by Richard Kelly.

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