Shrimp and vegetable tramezzino and carbonara tramezzino are two of myriad types of the Italian sandwich.

A midmorning snack along the street, off the Rialto Bridge in Venice. Soft slices of crustless white bread stuffed with a mountain of chopped seafood — shrimp, squid, other lovelies of the sea — in a dressing, probably maionese, generous with chile heat. Eaten standing up in the street as tourists and Venetians, both, bustle about.

Back home, the simple Italian sandwiches called tramezzini are hard to find. In Italy, you'll find them in cafes, train stations, everywhere, stacked on silver trays, cut to show off their fillings of egg salad, or prosciutto cotto and sliced artichokes, or tuna, capers and tomatoes.

They are neat, with the fillings perfectly aligned to the very edge of crustless, white bread. Heavenly.

Make them yourself at home, and have them for lunch or for antipasti.

And if it's possible to make these Italian sandwiches even cuter, assemble a few kinds and cut them into small squares, which makes them francobolli (postage stamps) and easier for guests to nibble. See, cuter. And then recount the time you had one on a canal.

SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE TRAMEZZINIPrep: about 20 minutesMakes: 4 tramezzini (half sandwiches)1 carrot, peeled, trimmed1 zucchini, trimmed1 rib celery, trimmed½ fennel bulb, trimmed, fronds removed1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil8 ounces cooked shrimp3 tablespoons mayonnaiseFine sea salt and freshly ground pepper4 slices soft white sandwich bread, crusts trimmed offUse a vegetable peeler, mandoline or box grater to very thinly slice the vegetables lengthwise, or julienne the vegetables instead.Fill a medium saucepan with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a simmer. Fill a bowl with ice water. Blanch the vegetables for a minute, or until slightly tender but crisp to the bite; drain and transfer the vegetables to the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again; pat dry with kitchen towels.In a bowl, toss the vegetables with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the shrimp with 2 tablespoons mayonnaise.Arrange the bread slices on a cutting board or flat work surface. Spread some of the remaining mayonnaise atop each slice.Divide the shrimp mixture between two slices, layer vegetables on top, folding them if necessary. Then close the sandwiches with the remaining bread, mayonnaise-side down. For 4 tramezzini, cut each sandwich in half either lengthwise or diagonally.CARBONARA TRAMEZZINIPrep: about 20 minutesMakes: 4 tramezzini4 ounces guanciale, pancetta or good dry-cured bacon, cut into ¼-inch cubes4 large hard-cooked eggs, shelled, chopped½ cup loosely packed grated pecorino Romano3 tablespoons mayonnaiseFreshly ground black pepper4 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removedHeat a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, brown the guanciale until crispy and golden, about 2 minutes, tossing occasionally for even browning. Transfer the guanciale to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool.In a bowl, mix together the guanciale, eggs, grated pecorino Romano, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and a couple of grindings of pepper.Prepare the bread as in the previous recipe and fill the tramezzini with the carbonara mixture. Then close and cut the sandwiches as described before.From “Aperitivo,” by Marisa Huff.