When there's no time at all, quick-snack recipes turn out to be very handy. Make open-faced sandwiches, spreads, dozens of kinds of canapes, croutons, hot sandwiches, quick breakfasts, salads, pickles, and even pizza. Try a few ways of serving plain boiled eggs. Pick out snacks to go with cognac, champagne, wine, or beer — in short, everything that comes together in literally 5 minutes.
The fastest thing to make is open-faced sandwiches. Slice the bread — dark, white, bran. You can spread it with:
- butter;
- pate;
- curd spread;
- soft cheese;
- sauce;
- ketchup — in short, anything spreadable.
Spreads like these can be made ahead and kept in the fridge.
On top, lay any sliced items:
- sausage;
- cheese;
- salted fish;
- sprats;
- vegetables — fresh, pickled, or salted;
- herbs and spices.
Combine these products in different pairings.
The five most common ingredients for quick snacks:
| Product | Calories per 100g | Protein g per 100g | Fats g per 100g | Carbohydrates g per 100g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hard cheese | 366 | 24.1 | 29.5 | 0.3 |
| Greens | 41 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 7 |
| Tomatoes | 23 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 3.8 |
| Eggs | 157 | 12.7 | 10.9 | 0.7 |
| Parsley | 45 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 7.6 |
For example, make these croutons.
- Fry slices of white bread or baguette in butter. The heat should be fairly high; just watch that it doesn't burn.
- While they're hot, rub them with garlic on both sides.
- Spread any soft cheese on one side.
- Sprinkle with herbs or lay on a couple of sprigs of dill and parsley.
They go well with beer and strong drinks, as a complement to an aperitif.
Five hearty recipes for breakfast or a quick snack:
| Dish name | Cooking time | Calories per 100g | User rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garlic oil with parsley and pepper | 10 min | 709 | +7 |
| Homemade garlic butter with garlic | 5 min | 618 | +189 |
| Spicy sandwich with mustard and cheese | 10 min | 616 | 0 |
| Crab-stick envelopes in a frying pan | 10 min | 428 | +19 |
| Seaweed chips | 10 min | 416 | +52 |
You won't have to blush in front of unexpected guests if you keep a few simple pointers in mind:
- these recipes will be not only fast and tasty but beautiful, if the cook takes great care;
- keep make-ahead bases in the house — tartlets, ready-made waffle cups, pastry baskets — you can fill them with any foods and turn them into an original snack;
- likewise, keep skewers or toothpicks on hand — cherry tomatoes, olives, black olives, pieces of cheese, and slices of bread are quickly threaded onto them.