Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Olive oil
Oregano, garlic and salt

Slice tomatoes and cucumbers.

Season with olive oil, chopped garlic, oregano and salt.

Serve with Italian bread and cheese.

Nowadays a dish consisting of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers is presented as an appetizer, but in pre World War II Italy such garden-variety vegetables were served on bread and eaten for lunch or as a snack. Back then pannini were reserved for special events so most of the time the vegetables were topped on country bread made from white flour or from corn. Often tomatoes were used to dampen bread that had dried out. The tomatoes weren't actually sliced, but squished. So was the garlic (it was then rolled on top of the bread to flavor it). Sometimes slices of air-dried sausage were added to the mixture, but not necessarily. When Italians arrived in North America they were surprised to find that the locals ate "sandwiches" flavored with mayonnaise. Possibly pre-sliced factory-produced white bread bagged in plastic topped the list as the food most detested by new arrivals. Next on the list was mayonnaise. Or was it Campbell soup cans? In any case, anything that wasn't made at home was looked upon with suspicion (and with good reason may I add!).

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