Happy Hour

In America we have cocktail time. In Italy they have antipasto, or the traditional course before the meal. After spending our days walking and site seeing, we would come back to the hotel to enjoy an antipasto of our own on the balcony overlooking St. Peters Basilica. The first day we were there we stopped in a local grocery store to pick up some of the traditional ingredients of an antipasto platter. We bought prosciutto di Parma, green and red grapes, mozzarella cheese, and of course a bottle of red wine. Some nights we would have Prosecco and also marinated peppers. The idea of the antipasto platter is to serve an array of Italian snacks before you indulge in the primi piatti (first course) of pasta followed by the secondi piatti (second course) of fish or meat. Eating the cured meats and aged cheeses is my favorite part of the antipasto. Here are some ingredients to mix and match when making your own antipasto platter at home!

• Cured Meats (salami, prosciutto, bresaola, mortadella, etc.)
• Cheeses (mozzarella, goat cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano)
• Olives
  
• Tapenade (olive paste)
• Roasted Garlic
• Marinated artichoke hearts
• Sundried tomatoes
  
• Perperoncini
  
• Roasted red peppers

When making an antipasto platter don't forget presentation! Make sure to use a variety of colors and arrange in a decorative way. Here's a helpful hint: Roll the cured meats into cigars for easy snacking! Serve with crusty Italian bread, but make sure not to fill up, you still have several courses to go!