The truly beautiful thing about an antipasto platter (aside from all the wonderful colors on the plate!) is its versatility. Include some cured meats, Italian cheeses, olives, artichoke hearts ... whatever combination you want! Garnish the platter with fresh herbs, place it in the center of your serving table, and you have colorful and tasty, easily-assembled party fare.
Here are my usual suspects: Hard salami, Genoa salami, turkey pepperoni, or cappicola for meats. I typically include two meats. For cheeses - fresh mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, and provolone are great choices. Then a selection of olives, marinated artichokes, marinated mushrooms, peppadew sweet-hot peppers, roasted red peppers, or roasted cipollini onions.
This is portable, too. Going to the park for a picnic? Out to watch an outdoor concert? No problem! Put your antipasto items in zip-top bags, toss them in a cooler, and assemble them on a plate (it can even be a paper one!) to serve it up!
For my arrangement, I like to put a small bowl in the center of my platter and fill it with Grape Tomato & Caper Salad. I love having the bright red of the tomatoes right in the middle. I then place my other antipasto items around the tomato salad, working in sections and doing my best to make a nice arrangement of colors. Serve it with baguette slices ... yummy. You know though, if you simply make sure to include tasty good-quality items, you really can't go wrong with your arrangement!
So would you like to know how to make the Grape Tomato & Capers Salad? I thought you might. This is soooooo good! We often enjoy this as a side dish salad ... no antipasto platter involved.
Start by slicing some ripe, juicy grape tomatoes in half.
Put in lots of chopped fresh basil.
Then mix up a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and capers.
Pour the dressing over the tomatoes, and top it all off with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Dish it up just as it is, or show it off in the center of a gorgeous antipasto platter and entertain away! Either way, I think you'll enjoy it.
We invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Google+, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Google Friend Connect, bloglovin', or Feedburner. We'd love to have you back soon!
Grape Tomato & Caper Salad
Source: My Mom, as adapted from Cooking Light magazine
Ingredients
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, torn
3 T. drained small capers
2 T. olive oil
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 T. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Place halved tomatoes and basil in a bowl.
2. Combine capers, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over tomatoes, tossing to coat. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
3. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.
My Mom Throws a Great Party! {Party Series 1}
Grand Marnier & Spiced Rum Fruit Dip {Party Series 2}
Antipasto Platter with Grape Tomato & Caper Salad {Party Series 3}
Marinated Cheese {Party Series 4}
Mini Mocha-Toffee Crunch Cheesecakes {Party Series 5}
Raspberry Chocolate Truffles & Drunken Cherries {Party Series 6}
Raspberry-Almond, Caramel-Walnut, & Lemon-Coconut Bars {Party Series 7}
Toasted Pesto Rounds {Party Series 8}
This post is linked with This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper!, This Week's Cravings hosted by Delightful Country Cookin' and Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Creativity Linky Party, Saturday Show & Tell, Make the Scene Monday, Monday Funday, Marvelous Mondays.
The truly beautiful thing about an antipasto platter (aside from all the wonderful colors on the plate!) is its versatility. Include some cured meats, Italian cheeses, olives, artichoke hearts ... whatever combination you want! Garnish the platter with fresh herbs, place it in the center of your serving table, and you have colorful and tasty, easily-assembled party fare.
Here are my usual suspects: Hard salami, Genoa salami, turkey pepperoni, or cappicola for meats. I typically include two meats. For cheeses - fresh mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, and provolone are great choices. Then a selection of olives, marinated artichokes, marinated mushrooms, peppadew sweet-hot peppers, roasted red peppers, or roasted cipollini onions.
This is portable, too. Going to the park for a picnic? Out to watch an outdoor concert? No problem! Put your antipasto items in zip-top bags, toss them in a cooler, and assemble them on a plate (it can even be a paper one!) to serve it up!
For my arrangement, I like to put a small bowl in the center of my platter and fill it with Grape Tomato & Caper Salad. I love having the bright red of the tomatoes right in the middle. I then place my other antipasto items around the tomato salad, working in sections and doing my best to make a nice arrangement of colors. Serve it with baguette slices ... yummy. You know though, if you simply make sure to include tasty good-quality items, you really can't go wrong with your arrangement!
So would you like to know how to make the Grape Tomato & Capers Salad? I thought you might. This is soooooo good! We often enjoy this as a side dish salad ... no antipasto platter involved.
Start by slicing some ripe, juicy grape tomatoes in half.
Put in lots of chopped fresh basil.
Then mix up a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and capers.
Pour the dressing over the tomatoes, and top it all off with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Dish it up just as it is, or show it off in the center of a gorgeous antipasto platter and entertain away! Either way, I think you'll enjoy it.
We invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Google+, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Google Friend Connect, bloglovin', or Feedburner. We'd love to have you back soon!
Grape Tomato & Caper Salad
Source: My Mom, as adapted from Cooking Light magazine
Ingredients
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, torn
3 T. drained small capers
2 T. olive oil
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 T. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Place halved tomatoes and basil in a bowl.
2. Combine capers, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over tomatoes, tossing to coat. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
3. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.
My Mom Throws a Great Party! {Party Series 1}
Grand Marnier & Spiced Rum Fruit Dip {Party Series 2}
Antipasto Platter with Grape Tomato & Caper Salad {Party Series 3}
Marinated Cheese {Party Series 4}
Mini Mocha-Toffee Crunch Cheesecakes {Party Series 5}
Raspberry Chocolate Truffles & Drunken Cherries {Party Series 6}
Raspberry-Almond, Caramel-Walnut, & Lemon-Coconut Bars {Party Series 7}
Toasted Pesto Rounds {Party Series 8}
This post is linked with This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper!, This Week's Cravings hosted by Delightful Country Cookin' and Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Creativity Linky Party, Saturday Show & Tell, Make the Scene Monday, Monday Funday, Marvelous Mondays.
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