Spanish Montaditos

Montaditos are bite-sized open sandwiches consisting of a thin slice of lightly toasted baguette topped with an endless variety of hot or cold meat, fish or vegetarian combinations, held together by a toothpick. These decorative creations line the counters of busy tapas bars across the country where the locals sip wine, sherry, or a small beer, and exchange their leftover toothpicks for the bill. You can invent your own Montaditos, but here's three recipes to get you started... Manchego Cheese, Chorizo and Anchovy Stuffed Olives Brush the thin slice of baguette with olive oil and lightly toast. Leave to cool. (Do this for all the recipes.) Top the bread with a wedge of softened Manchego cheese. Follow this with a slice of chorizo. Then add an anchovy stuffed olive. Skewer the entire montadito together with a toothpick. Roasted Aubergine Stuffed with Goats Cheese with Anchovy. Rub garlic on the bread, then wrap the softened cheese in the roasted aubergine and place on the bread and top with an anchovy. Steak with Roasted Red Pepper Place a roasted and skinned red pepper (available in jars from supermarkets) on the bread and sprinkle with paprika, then add a grilled thin slice of courgette, and top with a fried, juicy slice of minute steak.