TURKEY TEA SANDWICHES SCALLION CREAM CHEESE 3/4 pound cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup minced scallions (white and green parts) SANDWICHES 1 loaf dense raisin-nut bread, unsliced 8 thin slices fresh or smoked turkey breast Fresh basil leaves For the scallion cream cheese, combine the cream cheese and scallions in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Do not whip.

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.)

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, 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 instructions, then cut off the crusts and cut diagonally, twice, to make 4 small triangles.) Serve chilled.

Makes 32 sandwiches; serves 8 to 10.

[The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Ina Garten]