Anatomy of an Antipasti Platter, or, How to Set the Bar Impossibly Low

Keep in mind that you may not use all of everything–I always have bits and pieces left when I make this. That’s okay–I just call The Boy into the kitchen and pretend I’m being sooo generous for sharing my precious ingredients. No Boy? No problem! Make a nice pizza with your leftover meats, cheeses, and vegetables!

Arrange this bad boy however you like. As you can see, I used a decorative 13 x 9 dish with the ingredients arranged in rows, but a large, round serving platter with ingredients lined up in concentric circles or pie wedges would be striking as well. Butters, oils, and soft cheeses can take up residence in ramekins that you smush onto the plate. Breadsticks look striking in a tall glass, and a fresh loaf of bread would be just dandy in a kitchen towel set in a basket.

Other ideas not pictured here include:
Additional hams and sausages–think serrano, chorizo, etc.
Pickled cornichons
Sundried tomatoes
Infused olive oils
Roasted and mashed garlic cloves
Pesto butter
Apricot preserves
Fresh ricotta Cheese
Some thin shavings of aged parmesan
Small cubes of a sweet melon, such as cantaloupe
Your firstborn child (Just kidding. Mostly.)