This month, we’re celebrating Italian National Day, and in the spirit of our home country, we’ve decided to share one of our favorite Italian traditions: The antipasto platter. This is a favorite among generations young and old, near and far.
Antipasto is basically a collection of delicious foods that can be mixed and matched to create delicious bites.
Size
A basic antipasto platter is usually 4-8 complementary items that can be mixed and matched, while more advanced platters range anywhere from 8 items up. Larger platters are usually served on special occasions – graduations, birthdays, holidays – while smaller platters are served for any and all occasions.
Make sure that no matter what size you decide on, that your antipasto platter only complements, not overshadows, your main course.
Bases
Classic deli meats are a great way to start the platter – pepperoni, prosciutto, Genoa salami and smoked turkey breast offer a wide variety of choices. Enhance their flavors by offering olives, capers and nuts.
Vegetables
During the summer, we like to used grilled vegetables on our antipasto platter – grilling is fast, easy and gives the vegetables a great flavor.
Our favorite vegetables to grill during the summer:
● Eggplant
● Zucchini
● Red Onion
● Bell Peppers (all colors!)
● Summer squash
To make your vegetables truly delicious, let them marinate for one hour before grilling. This marinade is full of rich Italian flavors. To make, simply combine ingredients.
● ½ cup extra virgin olive oild
● ¼ cup Il Villaggio Aceto Balsamico Di Modena
● 1 lemon, juiced
● 1 clove of garlic, minced
● 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
● 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
● 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
● 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
● 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
● ½ teaspoon salt
● Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Cheese
Perhaps biasedly, this is our favorite part of an antipasto platter. You can’t go wrong with these three cheeses:
● Mozzarella – Fresh Ciliegine bocconcini (small balls of mozzarella) are easy to eat and provide balance to many of the salty bites on the plate. They’re available here.
● Grana Padano – An Italian staple, Grana is very similar in taste to Parmesean. This cheese gives a savory bite to be enjoyed by itself or with anything else on the platter. Available here.
● Gorgonzola – An Italian bleu cheese, this cheese pairs very well with walnuts and other nutes.
And Most Importantly…
Love. The most important aspect of an antipasto platter is taking the time to enjoy it with family and friends. Good food, good company and good conversation are the pillar stones of life that we take for granted far too often. Happy National Day!
