"rather than open sandwiches"
The sandwich, another British invention; but much later then the pasty which was developed much earlier - probably in the middle ages.
Speaking from memory (read, not lived
) The sandwich is credited to one Lord Sandwich, who liked to play cards so much, that when he wass in a card game, he didn't want to stop long enough when dinner time came, so he had those serving food, to just slap some roast beef between 2 slices of bread, and bring it to his table.
I understand Lord Sandwich to be somewhat of an apologist for American independence cause. The Hawaiian Islands were named for him..originally called the Sandwich Islands. That was after Capt Cook was killed there.