Were he still alive, the Earl of Sandwich would be pleased to know that his culinary legacy –if we believe the legend- is venerated in Argentina in the form of sandwiches de miga.

These sandwiches are similar to tea sandwiches but much bigger. They’re made with thinly sliced bread, with the crust cut off. The type of bread used is called pan de molde or pan inglés.  They’re called de miga because miga is Spanish for crumbs, the white part of the bread and that’s what’s used to make them.

These sandwiches are made with a slice of bread lightly spread with mayonnaise, a slice of cheese, another slice of bread, a slice of, say, ham and another slice of bread. They are cut into rectangles. Sandwiches de miga are a very popular snack. They are sold in every bakery and are bought by the unit or by the dozen and you can choose the combination of fillings. Bakers make them fresh every day.

Usual sandwich fillings are ham and cheese, cheese and egg, cheese and chopped green olives, ham and tomato, tuna paste and cheese, ham and lettuce, salami and cheese, to name but a few. There are other, more sophisticated expensive, fillings as well, like prosciutto and rocket.

I like them so much that I make a point of getting some sandwiches de miga every time I visit home. I eat them fresh or toast them. Hot sandwiches, or tostados, are very popular too and you can order them at any café. Again, a very popular snack around the country. There are some regional variations of our tostados. For example, in the province of Santa Fe they’re called carlitos and are made with the addition of ketchup.

Bon appetit!

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About the author

Ana Astri-O’Reilly is from Argentina, where she lived until five years ago. She currently lives in Dallas, USA with her British husband, but they move a lot. Previously a translator and English and Spanish teacher, Ana first started writing to share her experiences and adventures with friends and family. She speaks Spanish, English and a smattering of Portuguese.