Czech Republic Comfort Food Recipe for Devilishly Spicy Toast

by DerdriuMarriner

Devilishly Spicy Toast is a Czech Republic comfort food recipe for Fried Bread Heaped with Ground Beef or Pork in Paprika Tomato Sauce Smothered with Cheese.

Devilishly Spicy Toast is a spicy paprika dish that is popular fare in Czech pubs and easy, hearty comfort food in home kitchens.

Rye is a favorite bread choice. The meat is usually beef or sometimes pork. Paprika imparts mouth-tingling spiciness and flavor. Infinite variations of this dazzling dish are found throughout pubs and homes in the Czech Republic.

Although Devil’s Toast is somewhat similar in concept to an open-faced Sloppy Joe, its bready, cheesy, spicy heartiness stands out as distinctive of Czech comfort food.

My family’s basic recipe calls for ground beef. Favorite variations include substitutions, such as ground chicken or turkey for the meat and French camembert or Czech hermelin for the cheese, and innovations, such as poached, fried or scrambled eggs as garnish with chili slices or as layer buried between bread and meat mixture.

Devilishly Spicy Toast is satisfyingly hearty and easy to make.

Devil's Toast

Koliba Czech and Slovack Restaurant, Collingwood, northeastern Melbourne, southeast Australia
Koliba Czech and Slovack Restaurant, Collingwood, northeastern Melbourne, southeast Australia

Recipe for Devilishly Spicy Toast (Ďábelské pikantní topinky)

Prep time: 5 minutes -- Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients for 6 servings

Scrumptiously textured Czech comfort food at its finest, enjoyable at home or away, in the Czech Republic's extraordinary pubs.

Ingredients

 

meat mixture

  • 3 Tablespoons oil
    • preference:  sunflower
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped or thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
    • Or:  1/2 teaspoon ground caraway
  • 2 Tablespoons hot or medium paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cup (= 12 ounces) tomato paste

 

garnish

  • 1 cup grated Edam or Cheddar cheese
  • 1 medium size chili pepper, sliced along width as rings

 

fried bread

  • 2 Tablespoons oil
    • preference:  olive or sunflower
  • 6 slices dark rye bread (or bread of choice)
  • 1 teaspoon of thyme

 

Preparation

 

1. Set burner to medium-high and heat oil.

  • Add garlic and onion and sauté briefly.  

2. Lower heat to medium, and add ground beef. Stir frequently until pinkness just begins to turn brown.

  • Sprinkle seasonings (caraway, paprika, black pepper, salt) evenly across meat.
  • Add tomato paste and combine all ingredients well.
  • Continue simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned.
  • (Usually total cooking time is about 20 minutes or less.)

3. Reduce heat to low to keep meat mixture on light simmer while bread is frying. 

4. Heat oil for frying in large skillet over medium heat.

  • When heated, begin adding bread, two or more at a time.
  • Allow about 1 minute per side.
  • Sprinkle thyme onto top side just before removing each slice from skillet.
  • Set slices on oven-proof serving platter or on baking sheet.

5. Remove meat skillet from burner and scoop mixture in a thick mound onto each slice.

  • Top with grated cheese, and garnish with chili pepper rings.

6. Set on top rack of oven; broil until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

 

Serve hot.

 

Servings:  6.

 

closeup of Devil's Toast

Chili beef in rich paprika spiked sauce atop rye toast, and smothered with cheddar cheese.
Chili beef in rich paprika spiked sauce atop rye toast, and smothered with cheddar cheese.

Acknowledgment

 

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

 

Image Credits

 

Koliba Czech and Slovack Restaurant, Collingwood, northeastern Melbourne, southeast Australia: Alpha (avlxyz), CC BY SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/10559879@N00/4567415069/

Chili beef in rich paprika spiked sauce atop rye toast, and smothered with cheddar cheese.: Alpha (avlxyz), CC BY SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/avlxyz/4567415491/

 

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In Czechoslovakia, a country known for fine cooks, a copy of Varime Zdrave Chutne a Hospodarne graces nearly every kitchen. Now this best-selling Czechoslovak cookbook has been adapted for American use.
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Updated: 03/01/2024, DerdriuMarriner
 
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DerdriuMarriner on 10/23/2014

burntchestnut, Yes, this recipe is exceptionally interesting. Me, too, I'm super appreciative of pumpernickel and rye -- their tastes and textures are outstanding.

AngelaJohnson on 10/23/2014

This recipe sounds interesting. I especially love rye and pumpernickel bread.

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