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.
Deep-fried Zucchini Flowers Join my food & wine tour to Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! The best deep-fried zucchini flowers I’ve ever tasted were served at Buon Ricordo Restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Paddington. They weren’t filled, just coated in a very light yeasted batter, deep-fried in olive oil and well salted! […]
Tapenade Like this recipe? You’ll love my online French cooking class featuring the food of Provence! I love salt, so a dish made of black olives, capers and anchovies is right up my alley. Tapenade hails from Provence in the sunny south of France and is generally regarded as an olive paste, however the name […]
Funghi Trifolati Join my food & wine tour to Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! Trifolati is an Italian term for dishes cooked in olive oil with garlic and parsley; mushrooms, zucchini and kidneys are often prepared ‘trifolati’. Funghi trifolati was one of my favourite starters in Sydney’s 1980s suburban Italian restaurants, where exotic […]
Mozzarella Grilled in Lemon Leaves Join my food & wine tour to Southern Italy & Rome to discover more Italian regional specialties! I discovered mozzarella grilled in lemon leaves on the Amalfi coast, where lemons are a way of life. It’s delicious and so very simple to make, especially if you (or a neighbour) have […]
Vitello Tonnato Join my food & wine tour to Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! This elegant Italian version of surf and turf hails from the north-western region of Piedmont. It is delicious, though when prepared correctly not particularly attractive, and its English description of ‘poached veal in tuna mayonnaise’ doesn’t do it justice […]
Raw Artichoke Salad Like this raw artichoke salad? Try my easy stuffed artichokes recipe! Insalata de carciofi is one of my favourite ways to serve artichokes – simply thinly sliced with a tangy lemon dressing and a little salty cheese. Celery heart adds crunch to this raw artichoke salad and a few baby rocket leaves […]
Pancetta-wrapped Grilled Mozzarella Join my food & wine tour to Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! Pancetta-wrapped grilled mozzarella is one of those quick-to-assemble dishes that’s perfect for entertaining. Inspired by a dish I used to love years ago at Castelmola restaurant in Leichhardt, the addition of mustard fruit takes this snack from yum […]
Polenta Chips & Stracciatella Join my Small Group Food & Wine Tours of Northern Italy One of the things I love most about travel is discovering new foods, and the find of my first trip to Emilia-Romagna was the soft fresh cheese Squacquerone di Romagna. Guests on my Emilia-Romagna food and wine tour (see video […]
Escarole Frittata Join my food & wine tour to Southern Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! I first tasted escarole (also called curly endive) when I was backpacking around Italy in the late ’80s and stayed with a family in Campania; my hostess showed me how to cook it with pine nuts and raisins […]
Artichoke & White Bean Dip Like this recipe? You’ll love my online French cooking class featuring the food of Provence! This marinated artichoke and white bean dip is a simple way to enjoy artichokes when they’re out of season or you don’t have time to prepare fresh ones. Use good quality bottled artichokes, preferably stored […]