Preparing an Antipasto Platter
An antipasto is traditionally something served before a meal. I like to serve an antipasto as a light lunch when gathering with friends for an afternoon with some good wine. If you are going to serve your antipasto as a meal, just make sure you make it substantial in amounts and varieties of foods.
Wouldn’t you love to serve this delicious platter to your guests?
An antipasto is traditionally Italian meats, cheeses and vegetables. The first thing you want to consider when preparing an antipasto is to use a platter that has a little bit of a lip on it. Many of the vegetables you will serve on your platter will have been marinated and you want that lip on your platter to keep any olive oil from running off your platter.
I plan my antipasto by using four basics: vegetables, meats, cheeses and other. Choose a variety of each of these to prepare you antipasto platter.
Vegetables:
Marinated artichoke hearts
Cherry tomatoes
Olives
Mushrooms
Sun-dried tomatoes
Roasted red peppers
Pepperoncini
Meats:
Pepperoni
Salami
Capicola
Prosciutto
Mortadella
Cheeses:
Parmesan
Gorgonzola
Bocconcino
Other:
Crusty Bread
Breadsticks
Rustic crackers
Pasta (I used mini ravioli on my antipasto pictured above)
A note about the pasta I like to add on a more substantial antipasto: prepare your pasta and then rinse it toss with olive oil and serve cold on the platter.
These are all some suggestions under each of the different ingredient categories. You can make you antipasto as basic or as lavish as you like. You can prepare your antipasto a couple of hours ahead of time. Cover it and refrigerate until thirty minutes before you are ready to serve.
Find this and more great ideas at these link parties:
I sure would love to serve this and I think I could do some serious damage to it myself!!
Sandra, We could get together and I could make this for a meal and we could have one of your fabulous sweets for dessert!
Cloe, Can you please tell me where you got this large square platter? And what are the dimensions please?
Thanks, Sharon Wegner
Sharon, I have had it for years…it is a Threshold product from Target and it is about 14″ square. Good luck finding one!
Thanks Cloe!
I did a bit of snooping online, with it much luck. I decided to take a pass at one of the restaurant supply houses. Bingo!! Located a 14″ for $15. Happy camper here.
Thanks again
Oh, I am so glad you found one!