Easy Italian Recipes

Not every Italian meal begins with an antipasto course. But for special occasions, an antipasto literally, "before the meal"— makes an ideai opener: a few intensely flavored bites that welcome everyone to the table, stimulate the paiate, and whet the appetite for what is ahead.

Antipasti typically favor simplicity and a strong sense of piace, often showcasing local culinary treasures such as cured meats, cheeses, and speciaity produce.
In restaurants, these savory offerings are frequently displayed on a buffet that greets guests as they enter the dining room. This assortment of marinated vegetables, grilled and fried foods, salads, and other small bites is invariably a visual feast of fresh, seasonal ingredients and local cooking styles.
In Italian homes, antipasti are often combined with another course for a simple meal, rather than offered as a separate course. But for virtually any special gathering of friends and family, at least one antipasto is served. It might be a platter of White Bean and Arugula Crostini  or crispy Arancini, passed in the living room with drinks, or warm Fried Ricotta - Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms , eaten at the table.

SERVING STRATEGIES

When deciding on an antipasto to begin your menu, consider the season, the regional origins of the other dishes you will be serving, and the overall complexity of the meal.
If your menu will be elaborate, requiring you to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you might begin with one of Italy's easiest and most popular antipasti, affettati misti, a selection of cured meats. Choose one or more varieties, such as prosciutto, coppa, a mild salami, or mortadella, from a good delicatessen or speciality food store. Purchase the meats thinly sliced and arrange them on a platter, loosely folding or rolling each slice to create an attrattive presentation. If you prepare the platter ahead of time and refrigerate it, allow it to come to room temperature before serving. Accompany the meats with bread sticks or sliced bread and a bowl of Marinated Olives. Alternatively, pair the meat with fruit, such as melon or figs, as in Prosciutto Wrapped Figs with Balsamic.

An assortment of Italian cheeses, accompanied with crusty bread, also makes an easy antipasto—and a fitting companion to an affettati platter. Serve cheeses with contrasting characteristics. Good choices include bocconcini (bite-sized rounds) of fresh mozzarella; a medium-aged slicing cheese, such as a Tuscan or Sardinian pecorino; a soft, spreading cheese, such as robiola; and a fresh or aged caprino, or goat's milk cheese.
If you are serving the antipasto course on individuai small plates, you can piace them directly over each dinner plate just before your guests are seated. In warm weather or for an alfresco meal, a room-temperature antipasto works well and helps minimize last-minute cooking. Select a dish that sets the tone for a regional menu, such as Caponata or Tornato, Basil, and Mozzarella Salad for a southern Italian—inspired meal, or Farro Salad or Panzanella  for a Tuscan feast. If your menu includes a hot antipasto, such as Fritto Misto  or Fonduta with White Truffle, do as much of the prep ahead of the time as possible, and consider serving first and second courses that require minimal last-minute cooking.
Keep portions small. The antipasto should be an exquisite taste that leaves people hungry for more, not a rich, filling first course. The recipes in this chapter will help you get a sense of appropriate portion size.

VERSATILE ANTIPASTI

Simple, direct, and bursting with flavor, antipasti are ideal for serving in a variety of nontraditional ways. An array of several madeahead dishes creates a memorable, easily replenished buffet for an operi house. Put together a selection of offerings that includes several vegetable dishes along with items featuring seafood, dairy, and meat.
Antipasto salads, such as Salt Cod Salad and Farro Salad, are perfect for outdoor entertaining and hold up well when packed for a picnic. Vegetable antipasti, such as Grilled Vegetables  and RisottoStuffed Tomatoes, can be served as side dishes, or contorni, to accompany a second course. And more substantial antipasti, including Artichoke Tortino, Eggplant Parmesan, and Eggplant Involtini, work well as light brunch or lunch main courses.

BEVERAGE PAIRINGS

Welcome guests with a bitter aperitivo, such as Campari (on the rocks or with soda) or the nonalcoholic Aperol or Crodino. Mixed drinks made with gin or vodka, including martinis and negronis, are also appropriate before or with antipasto. Good wine choices include rosé, light-bodied reds such as Bardolino or Lambrusco, or light, crisp whites such as Soave or Pinot Grigio. Chiiied Prosecco or other dry sparkling wines work particularly well, too.