Italian Appetizers
The authentic Italian appetizers I've come to know living here in Italy. These are my favorite recipes for Italian style appetizers you can easily prepare by yourself. Here you'll find ideas for an appetizer introducing an Italian dinner or just to be served as a side to an aperitif drink.
How to serve Italian appetizers? Here you have many well-loved suggestions of what to serve, together with a simple glass of good wine, finger food recipes that are very easy and simple to prepare. I am sharing here what I've learned and have been practicing since I came to live in Italy in 1983. Appetisers usually precede lunch or dinner. If it's served as a first course it is usually called Antipasto plate or just Italian starters. |
Usually when you go to a wine bar in Italy, the most used are cold appetizer recipes as they usually propose a board with diferent Italian types of cheese and/or cured meats like salami, cooked ham, Parma raw ham and Bologna sausage. What else can we eat on these occasions? Here you have my favorite choices for Italian appetizers, those I use to prepare more often at home. |
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1.Gorgonzola Cheese with Speck
Italian appetizers can be very simple...with the right ingredients. In this idea, fresh bread is placed in a basket and served with pieces of gorgonzola and slices of speck, so each one can serve her or himself. Otherwise you can cut the bread into small squares (that can be eaten in one bite) and top with a piece of speck and a piece of gorgonzola and serve as canapès.
 
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Another very simple Italian appetizer recipe: Grissini and Parma Raw Ham - prosciutto crudo. Just wrap a slice or a piece of raw ham around each grissino and place in a bowl, like flower petals. They are easy to eat and very tasty.
Parma raw ham
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Grissini
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3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVO) with Bread
Buy very good extra virgin olive oil and place it in a small bowl. Serve with good fresh bread. Take small pieces of bread (one- bite pieces) and dip in the oil. I promise: you'll want it forever! Prepare small plates so your guests will be able to lean on the bread without fearing oil drops. If you use good quality ingredients, you can serve great Italian appetizers that needs really little time nd effort to be prepared.
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4. Olives and Cured Meats
Buy good olives and serve on toothpicks. Olives can be served when you offer a spumante, some wine or any drink as an aperitif.
It is always a good habit to serve something to eat to your guests, as they will feel more comfortable being able to eat something together with an alcoholic beverage. You know, drinking something alcoholic with an empty stomach may cause unplesant effects.
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Cured meats are always welcome. I believe it is the best thing when we feel hungry and looking for an aperitif. They match well with olives, and all other Italian appetizers suggested in this page. Serve them with a basket of fresh bread. Take care of serving freshly sliced meats. Do not buy keep them in fridge for a couple of days and serve as they would loose freshness and part of their goodness.
You can compose a serving plate with different types, such as Parma Ham, Salami and Bologna (Mortadella in Italian). An idea could be cut the slices in one-bite size and place a totthpick on each portion, so your guests will just have to take it directly to the mouth...and say:"Hummm...it's delicious!"
5. Italian Prosciutto Cantaloupe
The more traditional Italian appetizers are also simple matches like Melon and Parma Raw Ham. It's a classic that always works. You can cut the melon in slices and top with the raw ham slices.
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Italian Raw Ham (Prosciutto Crudo)
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In this case each person will need a small dish, fork and knife. Otherwise you can cut the melon and the raw ham into small squares and serve on toothpicks, as finger food. It will be easier to eat with a single bite (avoiding extra dishes). You can put them on a serving plate or do as in the 60's, covering a cabbage with aluminium and then placing all the toothpicks on it. |
What are your favorite Italian Appetizers? |
| More about... |
- Cured Meats - know more about Italian cured meats served as appetizers
- Types of Cheese - some typical cheeses from Italy
- Italian Starters - how to begin a traditional Italian meal
- Parma Raw Ham - one of the most knowm Italian typical products
- Christmas Party Appetizer Recipes - Click here for quick and easy ideas to prepare your party!
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