Antipasti - The Little Dishes Of Italy

The purpose of antipasti is to stimulate your senses before your meal, waking up your appetite, and making you yearn for more. Antipasto literally translates as "before the meal". In Italy, visitors are amazed at the mouthwatering show of appetizers displayed in abundance in restaurants. There are usually an endless choice of vegetables cooked in every way; roasted, grilled, marinated, and fried. Cold meats such as prosciutto and salami are displayed along with platters of seafood salad, steamed muscles, and clams.

The choices are so extensive it is hard to choose, so most decide on "antipasto misto", or mixed antipasto and taste a little of everything. Generally antipasti are not eaten at home unless one is entertaining, or cooking for special occasions. They do however make an impressive beginning to any Italian meal, and don't have to be difficult to prepare. Typically, antipasti are well suited to entertaining as most can be made in advance. Often, they can also be served as side dishes, or in combination can be an entire meal. They may be as simple as a few slices of cold meats, and some olives with a piece of aged parmesan, or be far more elaborate dishes that take hours to prepare.

A few "instant" antipasti suggestions are as follows:

Thin slices of prosciutto wrapped around breadsticks.

Sun-dried tomatoes pureed with a little oil, garlic, and a bit of balsamic vinegar, to spread on crackers or toasted bread.

Raw vegetables, such as fennel, celery, carrots, etc., cut into spears and served with a dip of good virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and perhaps a little anchovies.

Fresh goat cheese drizzled with a little oil, garlic, and red hot pepper. Serve with some good bread.

Marinated mozzarella cubes in oil, parsley, red pepper, and a little anchovies.

Other options that make take a little more time but are relatively easy to prepare, are a colorful assortment of grilled or roasted vegetables, or marinated seafood such as shrimp, squid, muscles or clams. Crostini or bruschetta are very popular, and can be simply made by toasting good French baguettes or focaccia, then topping them with anything from a simple tomato, basil and garlic mixture drizzled in olive oil, to a wonderful creamy spread made of olives blended with capers and butter. Check out more Antipasti Recipes on this site, or use your own imagination. Your choices are endless, so give it a try the next time you entertain , and I am sure you will have very happy diners at your table.

Crostini di FegatoTuscan Liver Pâté On Bruschetta

Crostini di Fegato ~ This is a traditional liver pâté or spread found across Tuscany. My version uses the sweet Tuscan wine Vin Santo, in this basic yet delicious recipe. Great for parties or simple family entertaining!

Serves 6-8

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This is a very traditional recipe found across Tuscany. Every restaurant and home chef will have their own variation, but the basic recipe remains the same. You can experiment with the texture and see if you prefer a smoother consistency or one a little coarser. I do find however, that the smoother consistency spreads much easier. I like to grill or toast my crostini to keep them firm enough to hold up to the soft spread, but you could also serve this spread or pâté in a bowl with crusty bread slices, and allow your guests to spread it on their own. Variations on this recipe include the addition of pickled vegetables, different herbs, a little cream, anchovies to name just a few. I use Vin Santo in my version, which is a traditional Tuscan sweet wine with a very particular flavor. If not available, you could substitute white wine or brandy.


4 Large Chicken Livers, Cleaned

1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled And Finely Chopped

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt And Pepper

1/2 Cup Vin Santo Wine (If Not Available, Use White Wine Or Brandy)

1 1/2 Tablespoons Capers

1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Softened

1 Long Baguette To Serve


Clean the chicken livers by removing the membranes and any connective tissue. Cut into large dice. In a heavy pan over medium heat, add the oil and once it is hot, add the onions. Cook until they are soft and translucent. Next add the garlic and stir. Add the chicken livers and stir to mix. Cook until they lose their pink color. Add the Vin Santo wine, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the liquid reduces and the livers become lightly browned. Add a little chicken broth if needed to accomplish this. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and place the mixture in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely blended. Add the butter, capers and pulse until it becomes a smooth paste. If it seems a bit dry, add a little chicken broth to moisten. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Slice the bagutte into thin slices and toast in the oven or grill until lightly browned on each side. Spread the pâté generously on the bread slices and serve.

Note: You can prepare the pâté ahead of time, but I recommend placing plastic wrap directly on top of the pâté to prevent it from discoloring. Store for up to 6 hours in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Before using, allow to come to room temperature, and then thin with a little warm chicken broth as needed to create a spreadable mixture.



By: Deborah Mele 2002

Bruschetta Collection

This is a collection of some of my favorite bruschetta or crostini recipes that would make great appetizers for any Italian meal.

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Basic Bruschetta:

1 Loaf Crusty Italian Bread - Baguette

2 Cloves Garlic

1/2 Cup Good Olive Oil

Cut bread into slices about 3/4 inches thick. Either place under a broiler, or on grill, and cook untill just golden. Turn and repeat. Take the bruschetta away from heat, and first using a clove of garlic on the prongs of a fork, rub one side of each of the toasts . Next brush a little olive oil on each toast. Eat as is, or proceed with topping of choice.


Bruschetta With Roasted Peppers:

4 Medium Roasted Peppers

1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley - Chopped

1 Anchovy Fillets (Optional)

Salt And Pepper To Taste

Slice peppers into thin strips, and mix with rest of ingredients. Place a little on each prepared slice of bruschetta.


Bruschetta With Black Olive Paste:

1/2 Cup Black Olive Paste

Follow the recipe for black olive paste. Spread a couple of spoonfuls on each prepared bruschetta.


Bruschetta Rossi:

1 1/2 Pounds Ripe Tomatoes

1 Garlic Clove, Minced

2 Tablespoons Capers, Rinsed And Dried

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves

Salt And Pepper To Taste

5 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Core the tomatoes then squeeze gently to remove most of seeds and juice. Chop into small dice. Add the rest of the ingredients, and then spread some on each piece of prepared bruschetta.



Bruschetta With Broccoli Rabe:

1 Pound Cima di Rape - (Broccoli Rabe)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Large Garlic Cloves, Thinly Sliced

Pinch Hot Red Pepper Flakes

Slice Fresh Pecorino or Mild Provolone

Trim the broccoli rabe, clean and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cook in boiling salted water, about 3-5 minutes, or till tender. Drain well. Heat oil in pan, adding garlic and pepper flakes. Before garlic browns, add the broccoli rabe, and swirl around to coat with the oil mixture. On each slice of bruschetta, place a little broccoli rabe mixture, then a slice of cheese. Place toasts back under broiler till cheese begins to bubble. Serve.



Bruschetta With Eggplant:

1 Small Eggplant - (about 3/4 Pound)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt And Pepper

1 Large Ripe Tomato, Cored & Chopped

1/4 Cup Fresh Basil

1/2 Cup Ricotta Salata or Feta Cheese Crumbled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the eggplant on a baking pan, and cook for about 1 hour or untill it is soft. Cool slightly, remove skin, and process in a food processor. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, salt and pepper. Mix the tomatoes with the basil, and set aside. Spread the toast first with the eggplant puree, then sprinkle on some tomatoes, then a little crumbled cheese. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Though almost anything can be used as a topping for bruschetta, these are some of my favorites. By grilling the bread before adding the oil or garlic, you are able to keep the toasts crisp, despite the toppings.


by Deborah Mele

Bruschetta With Eggplant

This tasty antipasto dish can be put together in minutes using the grill. Use the freshest ripe ingredients you can find, some good crusty Italian bread, and you can't go wrong.

:Serves 4:

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Try to buy your tomatoes and eggplants so that when sliced they will be the same diameter of the bread for the most attractive results. You will need eight slices of both the tomatoes and eggplants, so purchase your quantities accordingly.

1 Loaf Crusty Italian Bread-Cut Into 8 Slices

2 Firm, Long Eggplant

3 Ripe, Round Tomatoes

Fresh Mozarella Cheese

3 Tablespoons of Pesto Mixed With 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh Basil Leaves For Garnish

Over medium heat, grill lightly both sides of the bread slices. Grill the eggplants until golden brown and tender. Turn off the barbeque. Brush each slice of bread lightly with the pesto oil. Place one slice of eggplant on each piece of bread. Next place on a slice of the cheese to cover the eggplant. Brush lightly again with the pesto oil. Finally place one slice of tomato on top. Place each crostini stack back in the still warm barbeque for a minute or two, or until the cheese begins to melt. Serve garnished with the fresh basil leaves.


Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002

Mini Party Pizzas

I use my potato focaccia dough to make these tender tidbits which works out wonderfully. The dough is cut into circles, fried, and then topped with a few simple ingredients. Just before serving, you just need to broil the pizzas to melt the cheese, and then serve them hot.

:Makes 3 Dozen Mini Pizzas:

by Deborah Mele

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1/2 Recipe Potato Focaccia Dough

Vegetable Oil For Frying

1 1/2 Cups 5 Minute Tomato Sauce

1 Cup Grated Good Quality Mozzarella Cheese (Not Fresh Which Is Too Watery)

Fresh Basil


Divide the dough into two parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/2 of an inch. Use a circular cup or cookie cutter about 4 inches in diameter, and cut as many circles of dough that you can. Heat the oil in a frying pan at least 1 inch deep until it reaches 375 degrees F. As you cut the dough circles they will shrink, so slightly stretch them out with your fingers and then drop four at a time into the hot oil. Cook just until they are golden brown on the bottom (about 2 minutes), and then turn. Once both sides are brown, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon onto a plate covered with paper towels. Push the dough together into a ball, and then roll it once again, cutting more dough circles, and frying them in the same manner. Use up the rest of the dough in this same manner.

Once all of the dough has been fried, place the circles onto baking sheets. Spoon a little of the tomato sauce on top, spreading it with a spoon. Finely chop the fresh basil, adding a little to each pizza. Finally, top with the grated mozzarella. Place the pizzas under the broiler to melt the cheese, and serve hot.


Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002

Mediterranean Crostini

For this recipe, use the freshest ripe ingredients you can find, some good crusty Italian bread, and you can't go wrong.

:Serves 4:

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This tasty, quick antipasto dish is great in the summer when you can find fresh produce at it's best. Use the freshest ripe ingredients you can find, some good crusty Italian bread, and you can't go wrong. You can make the topping up to four hours before serving.

1 Loaf Crusty Italian Bread-Cut Into 8 Slices

1 Package Small Cherry Tomatoes, Finely Diced

1 Firm Ripe Zucchini, Finely Diced

3 Green Onion, Chopped

10 Ripe Olives, Either Black or Green

1 Tablespoon Chopped Capers

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

5 Large Basil Leaves Thinly Sliced

Freshly Grated Pecorino Cheese To Serve

Mix all the chopped ingredients together with the seasonings, and let sit a minimum of one hour to let the flavors meld. Over medium heat, grill lightly both sides of the bread slices. Spoon over a scoop of the tomato mixture over each slice, sprinkle on some cheese, garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.


Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002

Grissini

Great little rosemary flavored breadsticks to serve with drinks before dinner.

:Makes About 200:

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These are great little breadsticks to serve with wine along with olives before your dinner. I always have these on hand when entertaining. They are very easy to make, but a hand cranked pasta machine is used to cut them uniformly. You could roll and cut them by hand, but you would not get the thin, crisp texture. They keep well for about 1 month in an air tight container.


Ingredients:

1 Pkg. Active Dry Yeast

2 Cups Warm Water

Pinch of Sugar

Pinch of Salt

1 Teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Extra Needed For Baking)

1/4 Cups Fresh Rosemary, Finely Chopped

1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

6 Cups of All-Purpose Unbleached Flour


Day 1: In a small bowl, stir the yeast into 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir. Leaves 10 minutes to ferment. Stir together the flour, cheese, rosemary and pepper. Place in a mound on a large board or counter, and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, the remaining water, and the oil into the well. Mix together until stiff, and knead by hand until smooth for about 10 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Day2: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Oil 4 baking sheets. Take a handful of the dough, leaving the rest covered. Dust well with flour and press into a flat disk. Run the the first setting of the rollers in your pasta machine. Dust again with flour and roll through a second time. Again dust with flour and pass through the fettuccine cutter on the pasta machine. Carefully separate the grissini and place on the baking sheets so they do not touch. Brush with a little more oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Note: If the Grissini are well floured it makes separating them after they have been cut much easier!


Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002

Tomato Bruschetta

A tasty appetizer that is as welcome at a family picnic as it is a formal dinner party. Use fresh, ripe, flavorful tomatoes for the best results.

:Serves 4:

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This is an easy, yet very tasty recipe that is a perfect way to start almost any meal. I have served these as appetizers at family barbeques, as well as at more formal dinner parties. The only key is to use very tasty tomatoes. I find that unless tomatoes are in season, the small grape or cherry tomatoes have the best flavor.


Bruschetta:

1 Loaf Crusty Italian Bread -- Baguette

2 Cloves Garlic

1/2 Cup Good Olive Oil


Tomato Topping:

3 Cups Ripe Tomatoes, Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces

Salt & Pepper

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Fresh, Chopped Basil


Mix together the tomato topping ingredients and set aside. Cut the bread into slices about 3/4 inches thick. Either place under a broiler, or on grill, and cook untill just golden. Turn and repeat. Take the bruschetta away from heat, and first using a clove of garlic on the prongs of a fork, rub one side of each of the toasts . Next brush a little olive oil on each toast. Top with the tomato mixture and serve immediately.


Variation: Add 1 Cup coarsley diced fresh mozzarella to the tomato mixture. After placing the topping on the prepared bruschetta slices, place the bruschetta under the broiler for a minute or two to slightly melt the cheese. Delicious!

Note: By grilling the bread before adding the oil or garlic, you are able to keep the toasts crisp, despite the topping. For more bruschetta topping ideas, check out my Bruschetta Collection.



Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002

Bruschetta With White Beans

Bruschetta lends itself to an unlimited number of toppings, and this combination of white beans and prosciutto is delicious. Use a good quality brand of imported beans to simplify the recipe.









2 Cups Cooked Cannellini Beans (See Cannellini ~ The Pride Of Tuscany For Details) Or 1 (16 oz.) Cans Good Quality Cannellini Beans, Drained

6 Slices Prosciutto, Chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced, Plus One Peeled And Left Whole

Salt & Pepper

Dash Of Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)

Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Parsley

8 Slices, Good Quality Italian Bread


In frying pan, cook the prosciutto until it has browned. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook the minced garlic for 1 minute. Add the beans, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and an additional 4 tablespoons olive oil and mix. Cook for a minute or two to heat through. Using a fork, lightly mash the beans. Remove from the heat and add the chopped parsley. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more olive oil, or water.

Grill or broil the bread slices until they are golden brown on both sides. Pierce the whole garlic clove with a fork, and rub the clove over one side of each of the bread slices. Spread the garlic rubbed side of each bread slice with some of the bean mixture. Serve.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2007

Panzerotti

Tasty little filled pillows make a nice appetizer or between meal snack.

:Serves 4:


Here is just a basic filling, but you can fill them with almost anything!


2 Balls Basic Pizza Dough Defrosted

1 1/4 Cups Diced Tomatoes, or Prepared Tomato Sauce

10 oz. Mozzarella Cheese, Thinly Sliced

Salt And Pepper

2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Finely Chopped

Oil For Frying


If using fresh tomatoes, place in a small pot and cook until they produce a thick sauce, about 10 minutes. Take the prepared dough after the first rising, and shape it into a long loaf, and divide it into 12 parts. Roll each of these parts on a lightly floured surface into a 3-4 inch diameter circle. Place a spoonful of tomato mixture on each circle, sprinkle with fresh basil, salt and pepper and cover with a slice of mozzarella. Lightly moisten the edges with water and pinch to seal. Fry in batches until golden brown. Drain well on paper towels and serve hot.


Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002

Mushroom Marsala Bruschetta

This delicious mushroom bruschetta is flavored with marsala wine, mixed with toasted walnuts, and then topped with gorgonzola cheese crumbles. The combination of flavors is delicious, and the mushroom mixture can be prepared hours before serving which makes this recipe great for entertaining. Any crusty baggette type bread would work well in this recipe although I used a multigrain one in my photos.


Ingredients:

8oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms Sliced

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Thyme

Salt & Pepper

1/3 Cup Sweet Marsala Wine

1 Tablespoon Butter

3 Tablespoons Toasted Chopped Walnuts

3 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley

1/2 Cup Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles

6 Slices Crusty Baggettte Type Bread

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms over medium heat until they are tender and lightly browned. Add the thyme, salt and pepper, and marsala wine. Cook over high heat until the wine begins to reduce and thicken. Remove from the heat and add the butter, walnuts, and parsley. Toast the bread slices under the broiler until lightly browned on both sides.

Place the bread slices on a platter and spoon the mushroom mixture unto each bread slice. Sprinkle the cheese crmbles on top of the mushroom mixture and serve.


Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2007