If you can mix and match, you can build an antipasto platter. Here is the guide to this Italian board.
How to build an antipasto platter
- Choose salumi. Pick two or three varieties of thinly sliced cured meats, such as prosciutto, mortadella or sopressata. Plan for about 2 oz per person — except with prosciutto, which people will eat as much of as you put out. Can you blame them? Consider yourself warned.
- Select formaggi. Choose one or two soft cheeses, such as pecorino or mozzarella, and add aged cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano DOP or provolone by Auricchio. Plan for 2 to 3 oz per person. Set out the cheeses with knives, and cut a few pieces to show guests how to serve them.
- Garnish. On a separate plate, put honey, figs and other sweet spreads to go with the salumi and formaggi.
- Add color. Set a few colorful preserved vegetables, such as olives, semi-dried tomatoes or eggplant, in ramekins nearby. For something sweeter, add a selection of fruit like grapes, apples or pears.
- Eat that pane. What is a platter without bread? Slice a loaf thinly and include grissini, Italian breadsticks, for bonus crunch. Guests can pair everything into their own bruschetta or wrapped breadstick.
- Design. Arrange the platter on a wooden board, so guests can cut and scrape as needed. A large plate works too. Depending on the occasion, the platter can be as simple as one meat, one fruit and one cheese, or as plentiful and complex as you like.
- Relax, but refresh. Once everything is out, sit back. Keep reserves on hand in case friends and family are especially hungry — a platter refresh takes only a moment.
Consider the vino
No proper antipasto spread is complete without a thoughtfully selected wine. Whether you are pairing a bold gorgonzola or the delicate flavor of Prosciutto di Parma DOP, the Eataly guides to pairing Italian cheeses and prosciutto with wine are the place to start.
Want help? Ask the expert mongers at your local Eataly.
