The sandwich star is a no-bake idea for an appetizer or a spectacular aperitif, perfect also as a centerpiece for the holidays. If you were thinking about how to impress your guests by opening the Christmas lunch or dinner or New Year’s with a spectacular yet easy idea, this sandwich star is surely the right choice!
Many differently filled sandwiches arranged to form a star that will be a feast for the eyes and irresistible for the palate. We have thought of four fillings that could satisfy everyone’s tastes. The first filling is with artichoke pâté and turkey breast or cooked ham (or simply the cold cut you have in the fridge will do), the second is fish-based with tuna, spreadable cheese and green olives, the third filling is completely vegan as it is made with beetroot hummus and grilled zucchini, and finally the last one made with spreadable cheese, tomatoes, and arugula. Many fillings suitable to meet everyone’s needs, but of course, we can vary them according to our tastes or simply what we have at home!
To prepare the sandwich star, we fill 4 slices of bread with a different filling: the first with artichoke pâté and turkey breast, the second with tuna mousse and spreadable cheese and green olives, the third with beetroot hummus and grilled zucchini, the last with spreadable cheese, tomato slices, and arugula. We cover with the remaining slices of bread and cut each sandwich first in half and then diagonally on one side and the other to obtain 8 sandwiches. In total, there will be 32 sandwiches arranged in two layers to form a star.
A no-bake idea that can also be prepared at the last minute and that will surely please everyone, you absolutely have to try this sandwich star!
Discover also:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 32 Pieces
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, All seasons
Ingredients to prepare the Sandwich Star
- 8 slices long sandwich bread
- 7 oz artichoke pâté
- 5 oz ham
- 7 oz spreadable cheese (with herbs)
- 5 oz tuna in oil
- green olives (pitted)
- 7 oz hummus (beetroot)
- 1 grilled zucchini
- 7 oz spreadable cheese
- 5 cherry tomatoes
- 2 oz arugula
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools to prepare the Sandwich Star
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Small bowl
- Piping bag
How to prepare the Sandwich Star
Start preparing the sandwich star by first preparing the sandwiches themselves. Lay out a slice of bread and spread it with artichoke pâté.
Lay the slices of ham or turkey breast and cover with another slice of bread.
First cut in half to get two square sandwiches.
Then cut each sandwich in half diagonally to get two triangles and then from the opposite side always diagonally. In the end, you will have 8 sandwich triangles.
Proceed to the second filling. Mix the drained tuna from the oil with the spreadable cheese and spread a slice of bread with the tuna and cheese cream. Slice the olives and distribute them over the entire surface.
Cover with another slice of bread and cut the sandwiches first in half and then along the two diagonals to again get eight sandwiches.
It’s time for the third filling: spread a slice of bread with beetroot hummus.
Lay the slices of grilled zucchini over the entire surface and cover with another slice of bread.
Cut the slices always in the same way to get 8 sandwiches.
It’s time for the last filling: spread the spreadable cheese on the slice of bread.
Slice the tomatoes and place them on the bread.
Wash and dry the arugula well and distribute it over the tomatoes. Season with oil and salt.
Cover with the last slice of bread and cut the slices first in half and then along the two diagonals to obtain 8 sandwiches. Overall, you will get 32 sandwiches.
Now we are ready to assemble the sandwich star: on a serving plate, arrange the first four sandwiches of different flavors to form a diamond.
On the outer side of each triangle, place another sandwich to get the shape of a square.
At this point, place a sandwich on each external side of the square to recreate the star segments. There should be eight segments in total.
Once the first layer of the star is completed, continue with the remaining sandwiches to form a second layer simply by overlapping the remaining sandwiches on those below.
Decorate with pomegranate hummus tufts and arugula leaves.
Storage, Tips, and Variations
It’s best to consume the sandwich star freshly prepared; otherwise, you can store it in the fridge covered with damp kitchen paper sheets and sealed in an airtight container. This way, the bread won’t dry out.
You can also make just one layer for this sandwich star. In that case, you will only need four slices of sandwich bread.
You can choose many types of fillings and toppings. For example, you can replace the artichoke pâté with basil pesto or pistachio and the turkey breast with mortadella or salami or even smoked salmon.
You can also replace the beetroot hummus with regular chickpea hummus or with another vegetarian spread like muhammara based on peppers or an eggplant spread. Instead of grilled zucchini, you can use other vegetables like grilled peppers or eggplants or vegetables preserved in oil.
You can use other creamy cheeses in place of spreadable cheese, like crescenza, stracchino, or ricotta, or mayonnaise or tuna sauce.
You can replace the arugula with other types of salad, and the tomatoes with other types of vegetables.
