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Italian Antipasti Platter

Italian antipasti

This Italian antipasti platter is also often referred to as antipasto or antipasta.

Whatever the right way to say it, this is a delicious mix of wonderful Italian flavors.

The recipe below suggests several perfect additions to the platter, but you can certainly add your own ingredients. See the tips box below for more ideas.

By the way, antipasto simply means “before the pasta”, or before the meal, so it’s an Italian way of saying an appetizer.

This is one of the easiest cold appetizers to make because you don’t actually make it at all, just put it together.

The dish is colorful and delicious. An appetiser like this antipasti platter fits well into a diabetes low carb diet. The meats, cheeses and vegetables are pretty much all on the lower end of the carb range, which makes this kind of plate a great diabetic recipe.

The recipe comes from my favorite entertaining cookbook, The Entertaining Encyclopedia: Essential Tips for Hosting the Perfect Party.

This book is a perfect reference for entertaining, not only full of terrific recipes, but lots of party planning information as well. (Find our full review of the book here.)

Italian antipasti platter.

Italian Antipasti Platter

This Italian antipasti platter is also often referred to as antipasto or antipasta. Whatever the right way to say it, this is a delicious mix of wonderful Italian flavors.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 Servings
Calories

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese (bocconcini), drained and sliced
  • 5 ounces dry salami, thinly sliced
  • 5 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups marinated green and black olives
  • 7 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved
  • 7 ounces fire-roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Arrange mozzarella, salami, prosciutto, olives, artichoke hearts and roasted peppers attractively on a small serving platter or tray. Drizzle olive oil over mozzarella slices.
  • Sprinkle everything with salt and pepper.
  • Serves 6 or can be multiplied up to 4 times.
  • Great served with long, skinny breadsticks.

Notes

You can use nearly anything you like in an antipasti platter. Also try:
  • Marinated mushrooms
  • Celery sticks
  • Small chunks of Parmesan cheese
  • Cherry or grape tomatoes
  • Other Italian cold meats like capicollo and mortadella
  • Marinated cauliflower (not the sweet kind. The Italian marinated vegetables are more vinegary.)
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Make it Ahead: The platter can be put together a day ahead of time if you wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it refrigerated.

Make it Even Healthier:

If you are concerned about the fat content in the cold meats, there are several things you can do to enjoy a great antipasti plate and stay healthy.

The cured meats tend to be fattier than other components of the dish so choose leaner meats, like lean capicollo instead of the salami. You can also use a bit less meat on the plate and fill the platter with fresh and roasted vegetables.

Here is an example of a leaner antipasti platter:

  • Lean or regular capicollo
  • Roasted red peppers
  • A few olives
  • A few bocconcini balls (baby mozzarella cheese)
  • Carrot sticks
  • Celery sticks
  • Marinated mushrooms
  • Cherry or grape tomatoes

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You will find a tuna antipasti recipe here.

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Italian antipasti platter.


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