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| My Holiday Antipasto Platter on Marble Chess Board |
Antipasto, which literally means "before the meal," is a combination of small bites of tasty food. It's meant to stimulate the appetite before eating the main meal. I love serving antipasto around the holidays because the beauty of the antipasto platter is its simplicity not to mention it's really more about assembling than preparing.
Antipasto plates are simply colorful offerings of marinated vegetables—think artichoke hearts, jarred roasted red and yellow peppers or pickled garlic—rustic artisan breads, salty olives, assorted nuts, natural deli meats, small bites of rich cheeses and seafood delicacies like sardines and shrimp.
Keep your choices to about three to five items, not including bread. My platter (pictured) includes marinated artichoke hearts, natural pepperoni, Genoa salami, green and black olives and bite size cubes of manchego cheese. To complement, serve with rustic slices of crusty bread, focaccia or garlic bread.
