Antipasti Bites

There is nothing better than an antipasti platter for any occasion, at least in my humble opinion. Traditionally antipasti is the ‘before meal’ course, a starter that is comprised of many different finger foods. If you’re serving a single appetizer like cheese, that would be referred to as an antipasto – a single item. What makes an antipasti platter the perfect starter is the variety of finger foods you can serve. Typically, an antipasti platter will consist of cured meats, olives, various cheeses and perhaps some mushrooms or pickled vegetables with an oil and vinegar dressing.

These Antipasti Bites take what you would find on a platter and put the ingredients into one bite-sized treat. The secret is baking the salami slice into a cup so you can fill it with your favorite ingredients. Put them on a platter and you have individual bites to go.

Prepping the Ingredients

Start the prepping process by using a Gourmet Prep Knife to slice the pepperoni and then dice the slices.

For this recipe, we recommend using drained artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers (you can use the jar variety or make your own) and Castelvetrano olives, which have a mild, buttery flavor with a meaty texture. All of these ingredients should be finely chopped and the 5″ Petite Santoku is the perfect knife for the job.

Fresh basil is a must for these bites and the 7-5/8″ Petite Chef makes this task quick and easy.

You can purchase mini mozzarella balls or purchase a larger mozzarella ball and chop it into smaller pieces using the Traditional Cheese Knife.

Making the Bites

To bring this recipe together, start by lining a muffin pan with the salami slices, using your fingers to press the slices into the muffin cups and pressing the overlapping sides together. Bake the salami for approximately seven to 10 minutes in an oven at 400 F. You want the salami to be crisp. Allow it to cool in the muffin tin for five minutes so the cups retain their shape and then transfer the cups to a rack lined with paper towel to soak up any additional oil.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and if the mixture is a bit dry, add some of the marinade from the artichoke hearts. Place the salami cups onto a platter and fill each with the artichoke mixture, topping each cup with the additional basil.

These Antipasti Bites are amazing. You can make this recipe your own by bringing in your own favorite cheeses or olives. Because they are so portable, they are easier to serve at a gathering. Give them a try and don’t be surprised when your platter is empty!