How to Make an Antipasto Platter

How to Make an Antipasto Platter

Antipasti are the perfect beginning to any gathering–formal or informal. When offered with a bottle of crisp Prosecco, they can set the perfect tone for the rest of the evening. Putting together an antipasto spread is a great opportunity to experiment with flavors, textures and colors. There are no real rules, but here are a few suggestions:

• Choose at least four different kinds of cheese: a soft, a hard, a blue and an aged. Leave a few whole, slice some, and most importantly, make sure they are at room temperature. Place them at different corners of a marble, wood, or slate board.
• Add some ribbons of prosciutto, some slices of spicy salami or other cured meats, at least two different kinds crackers of different shapes, sizes, and flavors, some very thin crostini, and, a few breadsticks for visual height.
• Fill in the gaps with a few extras:  olives, figs, dates, nuts, marinated artichoke hearts, seasoned grape tomatoes, pepperoncini, and also, some quince paste, honey or, a favorite jam. Pick ingredients that are in season and look delicious together. Place some of these ingredients in small bowls next to your cheese board.

Finally, when you place your ingredients on the board, don’t spread them apart and avoid symmetry and empty spaces. Create clusters of ingredients and go for a slightly crowded and “messy” look. It creates a better effect and has a much bigger appeal this way!