Antipasto is an Italian word that comes from Latin. Ante means “before”and pasto means “pasta”or “dough.”Antipasto is, therefore, what diners eat before the pasta.*
several leaves of lettuce.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 head fresh greens, such as Boston or romaine lettuce, shredded
6 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 3-inch pieces
6 celery stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces
6 salami slices
6 provolone or mozzarella cheese slices
2 tomatoes
2 hard-cooked eggs
6 canned artichoke hearts
black and green olives for garnish
radishes for garnish
1 bunch of scallions for garnish
1/5 c. Italian salad dressing (recipe follows)
METHOD:
1. Wash all fresh vegetables thoroughly and let dry.
2. Cover a large serving plate with leaf lettuce. Place shredded greens on top.
3. Divide carrot and celery sticks in half and place at each end of the plate.
4. In the center of the plate, lay alternate slices of salami and cheese.
5. Cut tomatoes and hard-cooked eggs into quarters. Arrange egg and tomato quarters and artichoke hearts around the edge of the plate.
6. Place olives, a few radishes, and some scallions wherever they fit in attractively. (Any other fresh raw vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces may be added.)
7. Dribble salad dressing over all.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Italian Salad Dressing/Condimento Italiano per Insalata
INGREDIENTS:
1 c. olive oil
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. basil
1 clove garlic, crushed
METHOD:
1. Combine all ingredients in a tightly covered jar. Shake well until dressing is thoroughly mixed.
2. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Shake well before serving.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours
Makes 1 1/2 cups
*To serve a lighter antipasto, you may choose to add more vegetables and omit or reduce the amount of meat and cheese. Also try varying the ratios of ingredients in the dressing. For example, to make a refreshing, zingy dressing, use only 1/2 c. olive oil and increase the amount of lemon juice to 1/2 c.
