This simple little delight is a quintessential Spanish tapas food. A few high-quality ingredients come together to create a perfect snack opportunity. Cured meat, manchego cheese, and fresh bread–there isn’t much more you could ask for.

Once upon a time in Spain, a small, free tapa was served with drinks in bars, often a piece of sliced cold meat, such as cured ham or chorizo, or a piece of cheese. According to culinary legend, these tapas were used to cover wine glasses to keep the aroma in and to keep the flies and insects out. (The word tapa originally meant “cover,” a reference to this practice.) In parts of Spain, pinchos are a type of tapas consisting of small pieces of bread on which different toppings are held in place with a toothpick. Nothing goes better with a glass of wine or a cold beer.–Inés Ortega
LC Spain of Yesteryear Note
Based on what we just read above, we want to move to the Spain of yesteryear…
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Salami and Cheese Tapa ~ Tapa de Salami y Queso

Ingredients
- Butter at room temperature
- Country-style bread (12 slices if using a baguette; 3 slices, cut into quarters, if using a broader loaf of bread)
- 12 slices salami
- 6 ounces Manchego cheese rind removed, cheese cut into cubes
Directions
- Spread a little butter onto 1 side of each slice of bread.
- Roll up each slice of salami like a cone. Place the rolled salami on top of the bread and fill it with a few cheese cubes.
- Secure the salami with a toothpick.
- Serve. And accept accolades.
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Originally published July 11, 2010
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
These sound good yummmmm, and so easy to do.
Thanks
Manchego has a wonderful flavour, Ann.
A twist on this. Friend served it with cocktails this week (believe it or not…spread cream cheese—or how about a soft goat herbed cheese) on one side of the salami. Wrap the salami around a green scallion. Easy. Delish.
Easy-peasy and delicious. (I vote for the goat cheese.)
Hey thanks for sharing this, very easy to make and looks really delicious. Keep em coming! Cheers, Amy from Australia
Our pleasure, Amy from Australia! Glad you like it…
Hello David,
First, I heard you had your folks on the Today show..I would love to see it if you can direct me to a post. I just watched the segmant from channel 8. As I noticed a flip of your hand, I was reminded of your portrail of “Marco the Magnificant” in our high school production of “Carnaval”…I always knew that you would be more magnificant. I am a little jealous and a lot proud.
xo