Antipasto is the first course of a traditional Italian meal. It can be cold or hot and in Italy is often just one dish, like an appetizer. Antipasti misti, an array of shared dishes (like tapas or mezze) can become a meal in itself, a wonderful way to graze, drink and enjoy the company of friends and family. Here are my favourite antipasto recipes.
Primo Sale Cheese (Ricotta-Style) Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Italian cooking class inspired by Giovanni Pilu! Primo sale is a fresh Italian cheese, sometimes aged for a few weeks, sometimes resembling ricotta or cottage cheese. Traditionally it’s made from sheep milk though some versions today use cow milk or a mixture of cow, […]
Piadina, Stracciatella, Figs & Balsamic Vinegar Learn to Make Piadina at Casa Artusi in Romagna on my Small Group Italian Food & Wine Tour In Emilia-Romagna the flatbread Piadina Romagnola (plural: Piadine Romagnole) is often served with the local cream cheese squacquerone. In Australia I like to use the creamy stracciatella from Vannella Cheese, it […]
Piadina Romagnola Learn to Make Piadina at Casa Artusi in Romagna on my Small Group Italian Food & Wine Tour Everywhere you go in Romagna, you’re served this flatbread. I was taught to make it by a local lady at Casa Artusi in Forlimpopoli, a cooking school and foundation dedicated to the work of Italy’s […]
Melanzane Grigliate Join my food & wine tour to Southern Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! Eggplant is like a sponge and soaks up an incredible amount of oil, so I prefer to brush it with oil and bake or grill it rather than fry it. If you have the barbecue fired up, you […]
Peperoni in Padella Join my food & wine tour to Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! I was taught to make this braised capsicum dish by a boyfriend’s Neapolitan mother many years ago, and it’s still one of my favourites. Peperoni in padella simply means ‘peppers in the pan’ and the result is quite […]
Steamed Asparagus with Pecorino Join my food & wine tour to Southern Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! When I’m barbecuing, I’ll sometimes grill asparagus spears on the spot. But when I’m entertaining, and want to get as much done ahead of time as possible, I find it easier to steam them. I like […]
Insalata Caprese Join my food & wine tour to Southern Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! https://youtu.be/g7VFea_c67s Insalata Caprese is a classic Italian mozzarella and tomato salad from the Isle of Capri in the Bay of Naples. Indian water buffalo were introduced to the swampy plains near Naples as draft animals around the 6th […]
Grilled Zucchini with Stracciatella Join my food & wine tour to Southern Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! Grilled zucchini with stracciatella is a simple dish that’s great as a starter or part of an antipasti. It’s inspired by a dish I had at Bert’s at Newport – the first time I ever tasted […]
Potato Focaccia Join one of my food & wine tours to Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties I love authentic focaccia made with a generous amount of olive oil. My recipe is inspired by Ligurian-born restaurateur, Lucio Galletto, who uses more water and oil in his recipe than many I’ve seen, which is what […]
Broad Bean Bruschetta Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Italian cooking class featuring the food of Liguria! Every meal at Lucio’s Paddington restaurant started with bruschetta, a slice of delicious toasted Italian bread, topped with a mound of something seasonal. I love using tender young broad beans during their short spring season to make […]
