Chef Graziella
Tramezzino with Tuna and Artichoke
The soft, crustless triangles found in every Venetian bar, filled with oil-packed tuna and tender artichoke hearts. This is what Venetians eat standing at the counter with their afternoon spritz.
Culinary Explorer
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Tramezzino with Shrimp, Egg, and Arugula
Created by
The refined tramezzino of Venice, where sweet Adriatic shrimp meet sliced egg and arugula between slices of impossibly soft bread. This is what Venetians eat standing at the bar before dinner.
Sandwiches & Wraps
Italian, Venetian
Quick Meal
Special Occasion
25 min
Active Time
15 min cook•40 min total
Yield4 tramezzini
The tramezzino is not a sandwich. It is an institution. In Venice, you stand at the bar of a bacaro in late afternoon, order a spritz, and point to the glass case where these soft white triangles wait in orderly rows. The bartender hands you one on a small plate. You eat it in four bites, standing, watching the light change on the canal outside.
Americans make sandwiches sturdy. They pile ingredients high and press everything together. The tramezzino does the opposite. The bread is so soft it nearly dissolves. The fillings are restrained, two or three ingredients at most, bound lightly with mayonnaise. The crust is removed because crust would interfere with the texture. This is not about fuel. This is about pleasure.
Shrimp, egg, and arugula is a classic Venetian combination. The sweetness of the shrimp, the richness of the egg, the pepper bite of the arugula. Nothing more. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in.
The tramezzino was born in Turin in 1925 at Caffè Mulassano, where the owner adapted English tea sandwiches for Italian tastes. The poet Gabriele D'Annunzio supposedly coined the name as an Italian alternative to the foreign word 'sandwich.' Venice adopted the tramezzino with particular enthusiasm, and the city's bacari now offer dozens of varieties, eaten standing with an ombra of wine or a spritz.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
small shrimp
Quantity
8 ounces
shell-on
large eggs
Quantity
2
soft white sandwich bread
Quantity
8 slices
mayonnaise
Quantity
3 tablespoons
wild arugula
Quantity
1 small handful (about 1 ounce)
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
1 tablespoon
lemon
Quantity
1
fine sea salt
Quantity
to taste
white pepper
Quantity
to taste
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| small shrimpshell-on | 8 ounces |
| large eggs | 2 |
| soft white sandwich bread | 8 slices |
| mayonnaise | 3 tablespoons |
| wild arugula | 1 small handful (about 1 ounce) |
| extra virgin olive oil | 1 tablespoon |
| lemon | 1 |
| fine sea salt | to taste |
| white pepper | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Small saucepan for eggs
- •Small pot for shrimp
- •Sharp knife for crust removal
Instructions
- 1
Boil the eggs
Place the eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water by one inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. The moment the water reaches a full boil, cover the pan, remove from heat, and let stand exactly 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to ice water. This produces eggs with fully set yolks that remain creamy, not chalky. Peel when cool enough to handle.
- 2
Cook the shrimp
Bring a small pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp in their shells and cook until just pink and curled, 2 to 3 minutes depending on size. Drain immediately and spread on a plate to cool. Do not shock in ice water; this washes away flavor. When cool enough to handle, peel and devein. The shells kept them sweet during cooking.
Small shrimp are traditional for tramezzini. They should be sweet and tender, not rubbery. If your shrimp are large, cut them in half lengthwise after peeling. - 3
Dress the shrimp
Place the peeled shrimp in a bowl. Add the olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and white pepper. Toss gently. Taste one. Adjust seasoning. The shrimp should taste bright and clean, not heavily dressed.
- 4
Prepare the bread
Using a sharp knife, remove the crusts from all eight slices of bread. This is not optional. The crust would destroy the soft texture that defines a tramezzino. Lay four slices on your work surface.
Italian pan carré or pane in cassetta is ideal. Japanese milk bread works well. American sandwich bread is acceptable if very fresh. Stale bread cannot be saved. - 5
Assemble the tramezzini
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on all eight bread slices. On the bottom four, arrange the shrimp in an even layer. Slice the eggs into thin rounds and layer them over the shrimp. Season the eggs lightly with salt. Scatter arugula leaves over the eggs, just enough to cover. The arugula provides pepper and color; do not bury everything beneath a mountain of greens. Place the top slices of bread, mayonnaise side down, and press gently.
- 6
Cut and serve
Cut each sandwich diagonally to form two triangles. This is the traditional shape. Arrange on a plate and serve immediately. A tramezzino waits for no one. If you must hold them briefly, cover with a barely damp towel to prevent the bread from drying.
Chef Tips
- •The mayonnaise should be good quality or homemade. Commercial mayonnaise with its vinegar sharpness will overwhelm the delicate shrimp. If you only have commercial, mix it with a small amount of olive oil to soften the flavor.
- •Wild arugula has smaller leaves and more intense pepper than cultivated. If using cultivated arugula, tear larger leaves into smaller pieces.
- •In Venice, tramezzini are often made early and kept under damp cloths until sold. At home, make them just before serving. The bread dries quickly and the arugula wilts.
- •White pepper is traditional because it disappears into the filling. Black pepper leaves visible specks, which some consider inelegant for this refined sandwich.
Advance Preparation
- •Eggs can be boiled and peeled up to one day ahead, stored in the refrigerator.
- •Shrimp can be cooked, peeled, and dressed up to 4 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated.
- •The assembled tramezzini must be served within 30 minutes. This is not negotiable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 140g)
Calories
325 calories
Total Fat
16 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
12 g
Cholesterol
165 mg
Sodium
550 mg
Total Carbohydrates
28 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
17 g
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