In my books, a party is not a party unless there is a meat and cheese plate! For the holidays I like to make more festive appetizers and this Antipasto Wreath is one of my Christmas appetizer favourites.
There is no real "recipe" for an Antipasto Wreath, as the ingredients will vary depending on your tastes and the size of the platter you serve the wreath on. The milk glass platter shown here is about 12-14" in diameter.
There is very little prep work or cooking involved to this wreath, however it's important to note when making an antipasto wreath or plate, that your Ingredients should be at room temperature when serving. I like to take my cheese and meats out of the refrigerator a few hours prior to setting up the platter so that the ingredients can relax and soften, bringing their best flavours to the fore front.
Regardless of how you arrange your Antipasto Wreath, it is a true show-stopper. Your guests will love it, as it looks much fancier than it really is.
Here's to your future antipasto parties!
Krista
Holiday Antipasto Wreath
Ingredients
Dark green olives, (large, usually found in the mixed herb olives at olive bars, curing and seasoning is important for these olives as they contain bitter notes - the dark green colour signifies they were picked before ripening) Castelvetrano olives (medium green, very buttery olive) Kalamata olives (small, rich, fruity & sometimes smoky olive)
1 package of 3 meat combo - 1 package had 6 slices each of prosciutto, salami & Genoa salami 1 package red grape tomatoes 3 to 5 red peppadew peppers, sliced (they can have a small bit of heat) Bocconcini, cocktail sized rosemary, look for longer branches sometimes found in the deli section
Method
Arrange rosemary branches into a wreath-like shape on a platter. You may need to overlap the branches to create a circular shape. I like to have some rosemary ends sticking out, like a real wreath would. Arrange antipasto ingredients in "same item" groupings around wreath. I like to fold the salami in half and then into quarters to look like a rose and stick it on the inside and outsides of the wreath. Twist the proscuitto into rosette flower shapes and stagger around wreath. Shaping the meats adds a bit of interest to the otherwise spherical ingredients. Serve with crackers.
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