Mamma-mia!….there are so many variations on this! You can start any meal, formal or informal, with a simple Antipasti, or you can make an elaborate dish with lots of different bites, Antipasti Misti. The evening of our Italian Feast at the Pilolla’s, we started with a small plate that included very small portions, small bites, of several items. We accompanied the Antipasti with a light and refreshing white wine.
Ingredients
This is what we did, but it could have been many other delicious things as well!
Large Green Olives
Kalamata Olives
Prosciutto – Rolled
Roasted Red Pepper – Sliced into 1″ strips
Bread Sticks
Making The Magic
This is a simple dish, but can be made elegant through its presentation. It’s all in how you plate it. Play with the layout, use small plates and go for color! People eat with their eyes, as much as their palates, so excite them with the variety and color.
Knowing this was going to be a long evening, we took our time, savoring each bite. We talked and laughed a bit and when the plates were empty, we didn’t get up right away to clear the dish. The great thing about this plate is you can prepare it ahead of time, we did this the day before. Plate the dish, covering each with plastic wrap, and storing it in the fridge.
Here’s a small list of possible small bites to use: Stuffed Green Olives, Kalamata Olives, Pepperoncini, Fresh Mozzarella Slice, Sliced Salami, Prosciutto, Cubed Provolone, Chunks of Parmesan, Pickled or Fresh Carrots, Roasted Red Peppers, Pickled Okra, any Variety of Italian cold cuts.
How you serve them depends on how formal and how large is your dinner party. Here’s some pictures that I hope will spark your creative ideas and help you imagine your own creation.
Remember that you are setting up the dinner to come, with your Antipasti, so don’t over-do the portions. I generally don’t serve bread with this course. Breadsticks are great. They add a little crunchiness, light and easy to serve.
Wines We Love With This
With our Antipasti dish we served a nice Italian Frascati. Also great:
Pinot Grigio
Chardonnay – I prefer a stainless aged Chardonnay with this
Sauvignon Blanc – if you prefer something dry
Riesling – is sweeter and might also be better, depending on what you serve.
The night of our Italian Feast, we served 5 different wines, pairing each wine with the course we were serving. It was awesome! Just be sure to pace yourself. Our dinner went from 6:00PM to 2AM. There was plenty of time between courses to let things settle, sip more wine, enjoy each other’s company and absorb and be present in the evening.
Grandi amici, ottimo cibo, ottimo vino, ottimi ricordi!
Do you have a favorite Antipasti, something you like to share with friends and family? Share it with me. I’d love to add it to my list of favorites too!
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