Almost Italian

Photo courtesy of Bruce Turner & Claire Moore, Austin, TX

The antipasto platter became part of the Italian-American repertoire following World War II. Americans who had served in Allied Forces’ operations in Italy had learned the pleasures of that little snack before the pasta. In Italy, that may have been as simple as a small bowl of olives, some pickled vegetables, or a few slices of salume, cured meats.

By the late 1940′s, the vegetables and condiments that Italians had been “putting up” at home were being produced by Italian-American manufacturers like Progresso, Mancini, Alessi, and Sclafani. No longer did one have to depend upon Nonna’s basement filled with crocks of brine and vinegar-preserved delicacies. For Italian and non-Italian alike, it had become easy to assemble plates of olives, canned beans, marinated artichoke hearts and mushrooms, roasted peppers, salume, and cheeses.

The expansive post-war mood and the celebration of consumption further encouraged Italian-American home and restaurant cooks to combine ingredients in new ways. Components that would have been savored separately in Italy began to appear together, to make up an entire first course.

The colorful antipasto platter became one more charming feature of the neighborhood restaurants, yet another demonstration of the abundance of the Italian table. In homes, antipasti became the Sunday afternoon accompaniments to that new past-time, watching television. No matter where it appeared— retirement dinners, testimonials, and wedding receptions at Elks Clubs all over America—the antipasto spread was an informal way to welcome guests and to ease them into the proper frame of mind to enjoy the parade of food that lay ahead.

Ingredients:
(Quantities are approximate)

Pantry Items

1 15 Oz. jar, artichoke hearts in oil, drained well and quartered (if necessary)
1 14 Oz. can, marinated mushrooms, drained
1 16 Oz. jar, roasted red peppers, drained and sliced into 1 in. strips
6 – 8 bottled Peperoncini
6 – 12 Flat anchovy filets (optional)

Deli Items

1/3 Lb. Sharp provolone, sliced
1/3 Lb. Fontina, sliced
12 Bocconcini or Cilegie di Mozzarella (bite-sized balls of mozzarella)
1/4 Lb. Genoa salami, sliced
1/4 Lb. Sopresatta, sliced
1/4 Lb. Mortadella, sliced
1/4 Lb. Capocola, sliced
1/2 Lb. Salt-cured Sicilian black olives

Garnish

4 Hard-cooked eggs, quartered lengthwise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Lemon, cut into 6 wedges
6 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

Preparation:

Place a small bowl of olives at the center of a large platter.

Arrange the slices of cheese, roasted peppers, and cold cuts on the platter. I like to overlap them around the edge of the plate. Note: depending on your taste and the size of your platter, you can either leave meat slices flat, or form them into rolls.

Drain the juices and oil from the mushrooms and artichoke hearts. (You can reserve the marinade for another use.)

Pile the mushrooms, artichoke hearts, peperoncini, and mozzarella balls around the olive bowl. Squeeze the juice from a wedge of lemon over the mushrooms and artichoke hearts.

Garnish the arrangement with the hard-boiled eggs, the remaining lemon wedges, and (optional) anchovies. Sprinkle the platter with chopped parsley.

Serves six

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