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.
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 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 can cook the eggplant on it, otherwise bake it in the oven as I’m doing […]
Peperoni in Padella 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 different to roasting a capsicum in the oven. The capsicum juices blend with the […]
Steamed Asparagus with Pecorino 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 really thin spears for this dish, but they aren’t always available so be flexible and […]
Insalata Caprese 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 or 7th century, and today this area is famous for one of Italy’s most delicious […]
Grilled Zucchini with Stracciatella 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 stracciatella. This wonderful southern Italian cheese is shredded mozzarella mixed with cream – it’s what’s […]
Potato Focaccia 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 makes his focaccia so delicious. I love how versatile focaccia is and especially enjoy potato focaccia […]
Broad Bean Bruschetta 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 this broad bean bruschetta. In summer it’s often diced ripe tomatoes; sliced sauteed mushrooms are […]
Focaccia I love authentic focaccia made with a generous amount of olive oil and had such fun working on focaccia recipes for our Month on the Italian Riviera inspired by Lucio Galletto. Lucio uses more water and oil in his recipe than many I’ve seen and I think that’s what makes his focaccia so good. […]
