Antipasto Platter

When I think of Italian appetizers and antipasto platters I always think of dishes containing a variety of peppers, olives, tomatoes in various stages (fresh, roasted or sun-dried), artichokes, or the pickled veggies they bring as an off-the-menu starter at one of my favorite restaurants, Carbone. Of course I can’t forget famed cured meats and cheeses hailing from Italy such as salami, pepperoni, pecorino cheese and mozzarella.

This antipasto platter recipe contains bruschetta as well as fresh burrata drizzled with olive oil and salty pecorino cheese paired with focaccia. Next up is a small appetizer/ salad consisting of marinated tomatoes and perline, small balls of mozzarella (named because they resemble pearls). They are tossed together and marinated in a mixture of olive oil and herbs. I fill in the spread with a variety of cured meats like Prosciutto, mortadella and salami with marinated artichokes, pepperoncini, olives, anchovies, and fresh garlic bread slices. Follow the steps below for my no-fail antipasto platter recipe.

Antipasto Platter

What is Antipasto?

Antipasto, an Italian-style hors d’oeuvres. It typically contains a variety of meats, cheeses, and vegetables. “Antipasto” literally translates from Italian to “before the meal” in English.

Basic Antipasto Formula

I like to include at least 1 of each element on my antipasto platters:

• salty (a cheese and a meat) +
• sweet (a dip or nuts) +
• spicy (a pickled pepper) +
• sour (something pickled)

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Genoa Salami – Genoa salami is readily available at many grocery stores and markets. It’s a dry, spiced, cured, uncooked salami made from pork and seasoned with garlic, salt and black and/or white peppercorns and red or white wine with a smoky aroma. Read more about Charcuterie board meats and salumi here.
• Prosciutto – This salty, silky meat is made from curing the whole hind leg of a pig. Prosciutto is a whole muscle salumi served sliced paper-thin. 
• Pepperoncini – This Italian hot chili pepper is a light yellowish green color with a mild heat. The pickled pepper adds a great level of acidity when served with cheeses or on sandwiches. Pepperoncini are between 100–500 SHU (Scoville units).
• Marinated artichokes – Quartered artichoke hearts are marinated in a seasoned olive oil mixture. I like serving them with this antipasto spread because they pair well with garlic bread, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.

How to Make an Antipasto Platter

For the marinated tomato and mozzarella salad:

1. Stir together the tomato mozzarella salad. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the tomato, mozzarella, oregano, basil and crushed red pepper together. Season to taste with salt.
2. Cover and refrigerate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

For the garlic bread:

1. Heat oven. Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
2. Make the garlic butter. In a small bowl stir together the butter, olive oil, garlic and parsley until completely combined.
3. Spread evenly over the bread. Use a knife to spread the mixture over each half of the bread.
4. Bake the garlic bread. Bake until the bread is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Slice into 1” slices for serving.

To assemble the antipasto platter:

1. Add the spreads to bowls. Add the bruschetta to a small bowl and the marinated tomato and mozzarella salad to another.
2. Fill in the board with cheese. Add the burrata to a dish and drizzle with olive oil (this cheese tends to spread out). Arrange on the platter then place the pecorino on another side of the board. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar to a small dish for dipping.
3. Fill in with the cured meats and accoutrements. Arrange the salami and mortadella on the platter followed by pepperoncini, artichokes, olives, anchovies, nuts on the platter.
4. Garnish and serve. Wrap the prosciutto slices around the breadsticks and add to the board with the Foccocia and garlic bread slices. Garnish with basil and oregano.

Tips and Tricks for This Spread

• You can’t start an Italian meal without garlic bread. I make a spread for my garlic bread by mixing together room temperature butter, garlic and parsley then spreading it on Italian bread and baking until crispy.
• Since it is an appetizer spread, I slice the bread into thin slices to use as a vehicle for some of the vegetables or cheeses.
• While this spread may seem fancy and expensive, it can be created for a reasonable price and most of the ingredients can be found at Trader Joe’s or local grocery stores.
• When serving antipasto, I’ve found that it’s all in the art of the plating so I make sure to place the various components with care.  
• As a matter of practicality, I like to serve toothpicks on the side of this spread since many of the small dishes and elements included are finger foods.
• Don’t forget to set out a small bowl so people can discard used toothpicks and olive pits.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this antipasto platter recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Arancini
• Quick Braised Baby Artichokes with Burrata
• Garlic Butter Tomato Cheese Bread
• Whipped Spiced Ricotta Toast
• 10 Best Charcuterie Board Meats