Chef Graziella
Tramezzino with Shrimp, Egg, and Arugula
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.
Culinary Explorer
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Tramezzino with Tuna and Artichoke
Created by
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.
Sandwiches & Wraps
Italian, Venetian
Quick Meal
Make Ahead
15 min
Active Time
0 min cook•15 min total
Yield4 tramezzini
The tramezzino is not a sandwich. Or rather, it is, but the word fails to capture what happens when soft white bread meets a generous filling in the bars of Venice. These triangular parcels are everywhere in the Veneto: stacked in glass cases, eaten standing at marble counters, washed down with prosecco or a spritz while the afternoon light falls across the canals.
Americans make sandwiches sturdy. They pile ingredients high and expect to grip them with two hands. Tramezzini are different. The bread is soft, almost pillowy. The crusts are always removed. The filling is generous but spreadable, never chunky. You eat one in three bites, then perhaps another.
Tuna and artichoke is among the most beloved combinations. The briny richness of good oil-packed tuna, the earthy tenderness of artichoke hearts, the binding smoothness of mayonnaise. What you keep out matters: no onion, no celery, no distracting crunch. The flavors speak clearly because there are only a few of them.
Though tramezzini were born at Caffè Mulassano in Turin around 1925, Venice claimed them as her own. The poet Gabriele D'Annunzio coined the name as an Italian alternative to 'sandwich,' from 'tramezzare,' to divide. By mid-century, every Venetian bar displayed dozens of varieties in refrigerated cases, and the afternoon tramezzino became as essential to Venetian life as the gondola.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
soft white sandwich bread (pan carrè)
Quantity
8 slices
Italian oil-packed tuna
Quantity
1 can (5 ounces)
drained
artichoke hearts in oil
Quantity
1 jar (6 ounces)
drained and chopped
mayonnaise
Quantity
4 tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
Quantity
1 teaspoon
fine sea salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| soft white sandwich bread (pan carrè) | 8 slices |
| Italian oil-packed tunadrained | 1 can (5 ounces) |
| artichoke hearts in oildrained and chopped | 1 jar (6 ounces) |
| mayonnaise | 4 tablespoons |
| fresh lemon juice | 1 teaspoon |
| fine sea salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Sharp serrated knife
- •Cutting board
- •Mixing bowl
- •Fork for flaking tuna
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the filling
In a bowl, break apart the drained tuna with a fork. It should remain in flaky pieces, not be mashed into paste. Add the chopped artichoke hearts and toss gently to combine. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Fold everything together until the filling is cohesive but still textured. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it. Adjust.
The quality of your tuna determines everything. Seek out Italian tuna packed in olive oil. The water-packed tuna Americans favor has no flavor worth speaking of. - 2
Assess the bread
The bread for tramezzini must be soft, fresh, and pliable. Stale bread will crack when you cut the triangles. If your bread is not perfectly fresh, cover the slices with a barely damp kitchen towel for five minutes to restore suppleness. This is not a trick. It is a necessity.
- 3
Assemble the tramezzini
Lay four slices of bread on your work surface. Divide the tuna and artichoke filling evenly among them, spreading it to cover the entire surface in a generous layer. The filling should be abundant. Venetian tramezzini are not delicate. Place the remaining bread slices on top and press gently to adhere.
- 4
Trim and cut
Using a sharp serrated knife, trim the crusts from all four sides of each sandwich. Cut each sandwich diagonally into two triangles. The triangular shape is correct and traditional. A rectangle is something else entirely.
The crusts can be saved for breadcrumbs. Nothing is wasted in an Italian kitchen. - 5
Serve properly
Arrange the tramezzini on a plate or stand them upright to display the filling. In Venice, they are served at room temperature alongside an Aperol spritz or a small glass of prosecco. This is the proper context. Serve immediately or within a few hours.
Chef Tips
- •Italian tuna packed in olive oil has incomparably better flavor than water-packed tuna. The oil carries flavor compounds that water washes away. Seek out brands from Sicily or Calabria.
- •Artichoke hearts packed in oil are preferable to those in brine. The oil adds richness and the texture is more tender. Drain them well or the filling becomes wet.
- •If making ahead for a gathering, wrap the assembled tramezzini tightly in plastic and refrigerate for up to four hours. Bring to room temperature before serving. They should never be cold.
- •The bread matters. Seek out pan carrè, the Italian soft white bread, or use the softest white sandwich bread you can find. Anything crusty or chewy is wrong for this purpose.
Advance Preparation
- •The filling can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated. Assemble the tramezzini no more than four hours before serving.
- •Assembled tramezzini can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated briefly, but they are best made fresh. The bread dries at the edges over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 115g)
Calories
290 calories
Total Fat
14 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
11 g
Cholesterol
15 mg
Sodium
665 mg
Total Carbohydrates
26 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
12 g
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