Stack the slices of bread one on top of the other and use a knife to cut off the crust from the four edges.

Place sliced gorgonzola, walnuts and pear slices on four slices of bread. Cover with the other slices of bread, press gently, and place the sandwiches on a moist kitchen towel.

Cut in half diagonally, then cover with another damp kitchen towel.

Keep them covered until serving time.

Food History

A tramezzino is the Italian take on the British tea sandwich. Although the sandwich has become a symbol of modernity, sliced bread stuffed with various ingredients is actually an ancient preparation. One of the first recorded sandwiches, for example, was made in the 1st century A.C. by a rabbi named Hillel who stuffed two pieces of unleavened bread with nuts, apples and spices. In ancient Rome, on the other hand, there were stalls along the side of the road filled with vendors selling bread filled with a type of cooked ham. However, the sandwich as we known it today was invented in 1762 by count Sandwich. One evening, the count was in the middle of a card game and, not wanting to get up from the table, asked his butler to put the slice of roasted meat that he was supposed to eat for dinner between two slices of crustless bread, allowing him to eat without interrupting his game. When the food arrived, the count’s poker partners enthusiastically asked for “the same as Sandwich,” involuntarily coining the name one of the most classic snacks in the world. The tea sandwich spread from England to Italy in the 20th century, reinterpreted by the Futurists and by D’Annunzio as traidue (or “between the two”) to later become tramezzino.

Other suggested recipes

• Sirenuse Style "Tramezzino"
• Soragna Style "Tramezzino"
• Parmigiano Reggiano and Pear Salad