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Antipasto is an Italian word that means “before pasta” or “before the meal”. Typically this dish is a platter that contains a number of meats, cheeses and vegetables as an appetizer. Antipasto will also include olive oil on top and for dipping. A good antipasto platter can be a great addition to an Italian meal that will leave your guests impressed with your culinary flair.
When assembling an antipasto platter, it is important to have a good balance: You do not want to be too heavy on meats or cheeses. The best antipasto platters will have a good combination of everything so that it is possible to combine elements of the platter for the mixing of tastes.
Cheese: Select a mozzarella cheese of high quality; if you are going to skimp on quality, it should not be on the mozzarella cheese because a bad mozzarella is very bad indeed. You can cut the cheese into cubes or small rectangles. That way, your guests would be able to place meat or vegetables on top of the cheese as if in a small sandwich.
Veggies: Small artichoke hearts, bell peppers and olives are delicious vegetable additions to an antipasto platter. A little roasted garlic is another element that you can add to your vegetables. Vegetables are important because it will give your plate another dimension beyond meats and cheeses.
Meats: As for meats, pepperoni, salami and other salted or cured meats are good choices. Almost any Italian meat works perfectly on the platter.
And for a delicious appearance, make sure to spend a little time arranging the items on the platter. This will add the wow factor that you want with your antipasto platter-- a simple, yet memorable dish.
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