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Antipasto needed

post #1 of 7
10/14/05 at 10:21am
Thread Starter 
Can anyone recommend a good book for Italian fingerfoods, ap.s, and the antipasto table? I need something without terrible exotic (unknown) products.
THANKS in advance.
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post #2 of 7
10/14/05 at 8:20pm
no books but I make caponata which is a sweet sour eggplant relish, roasted heads of garlic, italian meats, cheeses, roasted tomatoes with basil, pesto torta, skinny bread sticks, pickled zucchini....loads and loads of olives, tapenade, chevre, white raisin/basalmic/peppers, spicy mozz balls....
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post #3 of 7
10/15/05 at 5:07am
try this --

The Antipasto Table (Paperback)
by Michele Scicolone

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...63343?v=glance

Good luck!
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post #4 of 7
10/15/05 at 5:56am
Rose,

Cured meats are a must. I would also have a selection of different olives. eggplant involtini, panzanella salad, veal meatballs with wild mushrooms, cheeses(unaged pecorino, reggianno, fresh mozzarella, gorgonzola, perhaps fresh artichoke hearts or
bottems as they may be braised in evoo with mint and garlic. The best way is to go
to market in that italian frame of mind. If it is for a party its better to do a few things
perfectly than many things poorly. vittello tonnato, caponata as shroomgirl said, perhaps shrimp with capers, lemon, parsely, chopped celery leaves, and evoo. Surf
the web and look at italian menus. My spelling is poor. proscuitto, speck, cacciatorini,
bresaela, are a few cured meats. I could go on, but won't. Make sure to get the meats sliced if you do not have a slicer.

good luck

stephen
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post #5 of 7
10/17/05 at 11:00am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the book. I'm doing receptions/parties in smaller community (50k) and the same people are showing up !!! I've already gone through my "repetoire" and am now resorting to the Martha Stewart thing to "disguise" the choices. I'm sticking to authentic Italian ... any ideas for the holidays?
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post #6 of 7
10/17/05 at 12:47pm
I always pull Giuliano Bugialli's books off the shelf to refresh my roots. I really don't use the recipes but let the pictures stimulate.
Don't let unusual ingredients stop you. Get the recipe and let the hot chefs here give you substitute ingredients.
I personally don't like the tweeked dishes out there by the new TV chefs. If I'm looking for something different I'll always pick up older books. Most dishes are the product from peasant roots. The focus is always on the quality of ingredients, not the exotic ingredients.
pan
I've browsed many good recipes online.
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post #7 of 7
10/18/05 at 9:02am
This is going to sound REALLY lame.....recently I've just been hit over the head repeatedly....alot of people want "sameness" reliable same food. They don't want a challenge they want to know that what they got last Christmas is the same thing they are getting this Christmas.

I get bored, that's why I don't have set menus...I've done the same party for ACLU for the past 3 years, with nominal changes, it becomes easy when you've been there done that and worked out any kinks.

Guess what I'm saying is have a couple of new additions and change the look of the tables or unless they are looking for new just regurgitate the easy sameness.
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