Version from Italy
Tramezzino — Italy
The tramezzino is an Italian triangular sandwich of soft crustless white bread, generously filled and cut on the diagonal, eaten as a light lunch or snack in cafés and bars.
- 20 min
- Prep
- 4
- Servings
- Easy
- Difficulty
A tramezzino is a small triangular sandwich made from two slices of soft, crustless white bread, spread with a creamy binding such as mayonnaise and layered with a filling that can include cold cuts, cheese, cooked vegetables, egg, tuna, or seafood. The bread is cut diagonally in half, giving the sandwich its characteristic triangular shape.
It is reported throughout Italy, where it is a fixture of café and bar counters, displayed in rows behind glass and sold individually or by the piece. It is eaten standing at the counter or taken away, most often around midday or as a mid-afternoon snack alongside coffee or an aperitif.
To prepare it, thin slices of soft sandwich bread are trimmed of their crusts, spread edge to edge with a creamy base, and layered with the chosen filling so that every bite carries some of it. The assembled sandwich is pressed lightly to help it hold together, then cut on the diagonal into two triangles.
This version keeps the filling simple and moist rather than dry, favoring combinations built on mayonnaise-based binders that keep the soft bread from drying out even after the sandwich has sat prepared for a while at the counter, which is part of what allows it to be made ahead and displayed rather than assembled to order.
Preparation
Mix the drained tuna with the chopped eggs, mayonnaise, capers, salt, and pepper.
Trim the crusts from the bread slices.
Spread the tuna mixture evenly over four slices, right to the edges.
Scatter shredded lettuce over the filling if using, then top with the remaining bread slices.
Press gently, then cut each sandwich diagonally into two triangles before serving.
