Turkey and Basil Tea Sandwiches

Ingredients

• Sandwich

Preparation

1. Ingredients
2. Scallion cream cheese:
3. 3/4 pound (12 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
4. 1/2 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)
5. Pinch kosher salt
6. Pinch freshly ground black pepper
7. Sandwiches:
8. 1 loaf dense raisin-nut bread, unsliced
9. 8 thin slices fresh or smoked turkey breast
10. Fresh basil leaves
11. Directions
12. For the scallion cream cheese, combine the cream cheese, scallions and the salt and pepper in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Do not whip.


13. For the sandwiches, have the store slice the bread lengthwise on a meat slicer into 1/4-inch-thick slices. (If that isn't possible, you can slice it crosswise with a very sharp knife.)


14. Lay out 8 slices of bread and spread them all with a thin layer of scallion cream cheese. Place a single layer of turkey on half the slices, cutting the edges to fit the bread. Place the basil leaves randomly on top of the turkey. Top with the other 4 slices of bread, cream cheese side down. Lay the sandwiches on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, cover with damp paper towels and wrap the sheet with plastic. Refrigerate until the cream cheese is cold and firm. Place the sandwiches on a cutting board and, with a very sharp knife, cut off the crusts. Cut each large sandwich in half crosswise, and then cut each half diagonally, twice, to make a total of 8 small triangles. (If the bread was cut crosswise, follow the assembly directions, then cut off the crusts and cut diagonally, twice, to make 4 small triangles.) Serve chilled.