On occasion I go to Pittsburgh. Just like every city there's plenty of sights to see, entertainment to be had, and, of course, lots of food. While Pittsburgh offers its share of show-offy fine-dining experiences, The Steel City, in my opinion, is known more for its blue collar, working man's fare. One of the most well-known, and most popular examples is Primanti Brothers -- trendsetters in sandwich making since 1933. When in Pittsburgh, you'll also notice that eating "alla Primanti's", "in-the-style Primanti's" (huge, overstuffed sandwiches topped with slaw and fries) surrounds you.
Primani's 'slaw is vinegar-based and basic. Seriously folks. Think basic. This slaw is an unembellished monochromatic mixture of shredded green cabbage (no carrots, bell peppers or onions) -- 100% resemblant of the many variations of Pennsylvania Deutsch (the German speaking people of Pennsylvania) coleslaw recipes. The dressing needs no special or fancy ingredients -- as far as I can tell, just green cabbage and a well-balanced dressing containing vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, a touch of celery seed, and some generic vegetable oil. I add a tad of whole grain German-style mustard to my recipe, to stabilize it -- I can't be certain, but they might too.
Try my copycat -- it's damned close, & only takes 5 minutes.
For my easy copycat Primanti's coleslaw:
6 cups store-bought shredded green cabbage (10 ounces)
3 tablespoons each: granulated sugar and white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon each: sea salt & coarse-grind black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
~Step 1. Place the shredded cabbage in a medium bowl. In a 1-cup measuring container with a tight-fitting lid and pourer top, add the rest of the ingredients, as listed. Put the lid on tight and vigorously shake the container, to thoroughly combine and emulsify the dressing. Add all of the dressing to the cabbage. Using a large slotted spoon, stir to thoroughly combine. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Overnight is best.
Try it on My Copycat Primanti Brothers Pitts-burger Sandwich:
My Copycat Primanti Brothers Secret Slaw Recipe: Recipe yields 3 cups coleslaw.
Special Equipment List: 1-cup measuring container w/tight-fitting lid and pourer top; large slotted spoon
Cook's Note: Looking for some pub grub to snack on while sipping your suds and waiting for your Pitts-burger? Well, the 'Burgh made ~ Beer-Batter-Dipped Deep-Fried Zucchini Sticks ~ famous too. Heck, Pittsburgh is the land of deep-fried almost anything, and, I for one could make a meal of these things.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)
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