My Dad grew up in Pittsburgh and one of his favorite things a called The Turkey Devonshire Sandwich, which is a hot open-faced sandwich on toasted bread with hot turkey, bacon, tomatoes, and a cheese sauce. This sandwich was first served at The Stratford Club in Pittsburgh's Shadyside neighborhood in 1930.
I decided to make him (actually, I had my husband make it!) a Hot Brown Turkey Casserole. This also originated as a sandwich called the Hot Brown and was invented in 1926 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky to absorb the bourbon that guests had the night before. The 2 sandwiches are very similar, though I think the chef in Pittsburgh obviously copied it and changed the name!. Anyway, this is the casserole version, which is much easier to make and feeds a hungry or hungover crowd!
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Yields: 8 - 10 Servings
Ingredients
¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups 2% milk
1 large egg
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
12 slices bread, toasted and divided
2 pounds thinly sliced cooked turkey or chicken
¼ teaspoon paprika
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 cup tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
Directions
1Preheat oven to 350° F.
2In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook until slightly thickened, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
3In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Gradually whisk in ½ cup sauce. Slowly return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Add ½ cup Parmesan cheese, cheddar, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until thickened. (Do not allow to boil.)
4In a greased 13x9-inch baking dish, layer 6 toast slices, and turkey; pour sauce over top. Sprinkle with paprika, bacon, and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
5 Bake until heated through, 20 - 25 minutes. Top with tomatoes and parsley. Cut remaining toast slices in half diagonally; serve on the side and fresh parsley on top.