British-Style Crustless Tea Sandwiches

They’re tiny, tidy, and require no more than two bites, making them the perfect midafternoon snack. A proper tea sandwich is also never overstuffed with filling, meaning no drips, stains, or mess if you’re serving to guests. But you know what’s best about these mini meals? “They’re cute and there isn’t enough cute food in this world.”

Makes 16 tea sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

• SANDWICHES:
  • 8 thin slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

• SPREAD:
  • 3 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives or dill
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

• CUCUMBER AND SALMON TOPPING:
  • 1 thinly sliced seedless cucumber
  • ¼ pound thinly sliced smoked salmon

• PROSCIUTTO TOPPING:
  • ¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto

• CUCUMBER AND WATERCRESS TOPPING:
  • 1 thinly sliced seedless cucumber
  • Watercress leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stir together the ingredients for the spread mixture.
2. Spread 4 bread slices with about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture. Top each slice with your choice of cucumber and salmon, prosciutto, or cucumber and watercress toppings.
3. Place the remaining 4 bread slices over the toppings and press together to form 4 sandwiches. Using a large serrated knife, cut each sandwich into 4 squares or triangles. Arrange tea sandwiches on a serving plate.
4. If you aren’t serving the sandwiches right away, keep them moist by covering them with a damp paper towel and wrapping with a layer of plastic wrap. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

VARIATION:

• EGG SAMMIES:
• 3 large hard-boiled eggs, shelled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon white truffle oil or a squirt of fresh lemon juice and sprinkling of chives or
  paprika
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Combine all egg spread ingredients and spread on 4 bread slices instead of cream cheese mixture. Top each slice with prosciutto, watercress leaves, or smoked salmon (no cucumber). Place remaining 4 bread slices over the toppings and press together to form 4 sandwiches.

TIP:

• Truffle oil is expensive. It’ll run you between $10 and $25 for a small bottle at gourmet grocery stores or online from a vendor like amazon.com or Sur La Table. But should you buy it for this recipe, you may fall in love with its earthy, mushroomy flavor. Store it in the fridge; it should last three to six months. Besides using it in these tea sandwiches, you can add a teaspoon of truffle oil to mac and cheese or mashed potatoes. (Truffled mac and cheese is a current high-end restaurant obsession.) Bon appétit!