When in Rome, do as the Romans

do. In fact, do as many Italians do: Eat antipasti.

Not a food, but an assortment

of appetizer-like foods, an antipasto course is a fine way to kick off

a meal and can be an almost laborless dish, perfect for celebrating. Think

of it as an appetizer with pizazz - though with enough foods on the

platter, it can be a complete meal.

An antipasto platter is more

than what you might have found at one time at standard American Italian-style

restaurants: a basic, uninspired selection of iceberg lettuce, mortadella,

salami, tomato wedges, provolone cheese and canned black olives.

"The antipasto course

can be among the most creative dishes in the Italian kitchen," said

Julia della Croce, author of "Antipasti: The Little Dishes of Italy."

Indeed, any Italian restaurant

worth its anchovies has made the antipasto course more loyal to its Italian

origins: full of color, flavor and texture, and an expression of both

the kitchen's style and the availability of local specialties.

"A standard antipasti

would always have an assortment of local olives, cheese, sliced and cured

meats," Croce said. "But the antipasti can come in many forms:

savory breads and pies, crostini with all kinds of toppings, fish and

shellfish, meat, vegetables, polenta, rice and salad dishes, both hot

and cold."

There are no set-in-stone rules

on the hows and whats of antipasto. At its best, it's a creative

statement with a Mediterranean flavor. About the only must on the antipasti

table is olive oil.

"All in all, an antipasto

should be enticing to look at and seductively delicious," Croce says.

It helps that local markets

are carrying authentic Italian ingredients.

"It's easier to make

true family-style antipasto at home, because it's easier to get products

that are imported from Italy," said Lidia Matticchio Bastianich,

author of "Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen," a companion

cookbook to her PBS series.

"Prosciutto, the king

of the antipasto assortment, can now be found across the U.S., as can

imported cheeses, cured fish and vegetables. The surest way to capture

the flavors, colors, and textures of a culture is by using authentic products.

If you take a bite of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or taste a drop of aceto

balsamico tradizionale, there is no doubt in your mind, or on your palate,

that you are eating Italian."

For a nearly labor-free antipasto

course, it's as easy as a stop by a specialty market or the grocery

deli, where you can find Italian cured meats and cheeses ready to arrange

on the plate.

Stud the dish with an assortment

of Italian olives and a few pickled peppers and strips of bottled roasted

peppers. Offer slices of peasant bread drizzled with extra-virgin olive

oil, add a glass of chianti, and you're on your way to a taste of

Italy.

Back

to Dining Guide Home Page | Back

to the top of the page