“Guess what my son wants for his birthday meal?” a friend recently asked, “sandwiches!”

I nodded enthusiastically. I’ve enjoyed many a Swiss gathering—from Apéro to anniversary—that featured sandwiches: by the meter, in little buns, or as a Party-Brot.

And the Swiss definitely make great sandwiches. Of course this can be attributed to the fantastic cheese they have available, as well as excellent cured and cooked meats (like Buurehamme).

I love to stop at a (new to me) local bakery during a hike and take a sandwich for the road. Even the very least exciting varieties—cheese on Zopf, ham on a baguette, salami on a Silserli—are typically quite good. Add a butter/mustard/mayo mix, a soggy tomato, a slick pickle, and a round of hard-boiled egg, and you’ve got a classic Swiss sandwich.

But what elevates many of them is the bread, and there is no bread I’d rather turn into a sandwich than a pretzel bun.

Filled with classic salami or cheese, tuna or chicken salad, smoked salmon or thin slices of cucumber, or just a smear of butter, these are the perfect buns for sandwiches.

It may seem intimidating to make them—before baking, you need to boil the buns in a baking soda solution—but the process is quite straightforward.

This recipe is nearly identical to my Brezelherzen recipe, only with slightly more butter and a different form. You can also double the buns and place them in a ring, or form them into pretzels or little Zöpfli (braids).

Dough 

500 g flour 

2 tsp salt 

300 ml warm milk 

20 g fresh yeast or 2 tsp dry yeast 

60 g butter, room temperature 

Dipping solution 

100 g baking soda 

1 L water 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and yeast. 

Make a well in the flour and add the liquid ingredients. Stir this together until a dough starts to form, then add the butter and knead on a flat surface for about 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, mix for about 8 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook. 

Cover and let rise for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size. 

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. 

Split the dough into 12 pieces, about 70–75 g (2½ oz) each, then roll into buns. 

Meanwhile, boil the water in a large pot and add the baking soda. 

Gently drop the buns into the boiling water (as many as fit comfortably in the the pot, usually around 3-4) and count slowly to ten. Use a slotted spoon or sieve to remove the buns, shake off excess water and place them on a cooling rack on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Once they have all been dipped, slice the tops with a sharp knife (preferably serrated) and then bake for about 20 minutes, or until they are a deep brown on the top and bottom. 

• The perfect bread for all manner of sandwiches! Go wild!