Tea Sandwiches

Does it get more classy than afternoon tea with a close friend and petit sandwiches? Oh what a lovely way to spend the afternoon and catch up with a friend.  I don't know about you, but when I'm catching up with a friend, a quick bite to eat turns into several hours of continuous snacking. Somehow we never run out of anything to say and a large meal just tends to get in the way of our conversation.  Either your meal begins to get cold as you are telling a story, or you risk a serious class faux pas by telling your story with a bite of food still in your mouth! That's why an afternoon tea is the perfect environment for catching up! These dainty tea sandwiches allow you to take your time with your meal, which lets you enjoy the conversation just as much as the food.  

Tea sandwiches are very simple, quick to prepare, and generally do not require much ingredients.  Cucumber cream cheese tea sandwiches, in my opinion, are always a staple at any tea time, but from there I like to experiment with other types of sandwiches that will be served. Today I made a prosciutto tomato and bocconcini tea sandwiches to go with the cucumber ones. I always like to have a good balance of both vegetarian sandwiches as well as meat ones.  I had some leftover mini caprese salad that needed to be used up, which I thought would taste delicious with some salty prosciutto.  To add a bit more distinction between the two sandwiches, I chose to pan fry the prosciutto ones as well.  

Note: Both the cucumber cream cheese tea sandwich and prosciutto tomato and bocconcini tea sandwiches should be served immediately.  If left out, the cucumber sandwich will get soggy and the prosciutto sandwich will get cold. 

Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches

Ingredients:

brown bread (preferably rye and thinly sliced)

cucumber

chives, chopped

cream cheese

salt and pepper

Directions: 

1.  Spread cream cheese on each slice of bread.  Amount of cream cheese depends on the thickness of the bread.  Set aside half of the bread slices.  Sprinkle chopped chives over the remaining half of the bread slices and cream cheese (you may also mix cream cheese and chives together before spreading).

2.  Using a mandolin, thinly slice cucumber into rounds.  If you do not have a mandolin, carefully slice cucumber with a very sharp knife.  Using a paper towel, gently dry off any excess moisture from the cucumber slices.

3.  Place cucumber evenly on top of cream cheese and chives.  Season with salt and pepper, and top with the reserved slices of bread with cream cheese. Carefully trim away crusts and cut into small rectangular or triangular sandwiches. 

Prosciutto Tomato & Bocconcini Tea Sandwiches

Ingredients:

brown bread (preferably rye and thinly sliced)

prosciutto

grape tomatoes, sliced

bocconcini, sliced

basil, chopped

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

cream cheese

butter

Russian mustard (honey mustard works just as well)

salt and pepper

Directions: 

1.  Mix together tomatoes, bocconcini, and basil with a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, just enough to coat.  

2.  Set aside half of the slices of bread.  On the remaining slices, spread mustard.  Top evenly with prosciutto, tomatoes, bocconcini, and basil, making sure to drip off excess vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3.  On the plain bread slices that were set aside, spread a thin amount of cream cheese.  Top prosciutto topped bread with cream cheese topped bread.  

4.  Butter sandwiches on both sides and pan fry on medium, until bread is toasted and cheese has softened. 

5.  Carefully trim away crusts and cut into small rectangular or triangular sandwiches.