Antipasti; Meal, Social Gathering or Both?

Like the opening credits for a film, the appearance of the antipasto announces to the crowd that something special is about to begin. Usually just the sight of a beautifully prepared antipasto is enough to change the entire mood of a gathering - luring each guest to the table and into the slowed tempo and warmth of a shared meal among friends or family. As in a movie theatre, when the credits start to roll, you are pulled out from the knots and tangles of your life and into the magic of the cinema, so the presentation of the antipasto coaxes each guest to suspend the cares and worries of their day, and immerse themselves in the gifts about to be set before them. The presentation of this first course of the meal - the colors, the artful composition, the care taken in its preparation - viscerally tells each guest that this is the time for pleasure, relaxation and indulgence to begin.

In English, we call it the appetizer course. For the French, it is the hors d'oeuvre. In Italy, it's called the antipasto. It can be hot or cold, cooked or raw. Antipasti (plural form) can be served on individual plates, each one artfully designed; or, in bite-size pieces on a plate that is passed around the table; or, presented as an elegant centerpiece from which everyone is served. For the cook, it can be a chance to embellish, dazzle, and hopefully have some fun - since usually relatively little cooking is involved. The antipasto course can be the host's culinary valentine, a sumptuous invitation to the feast that is to follow.

What antipasti means in Italy

In the US, there are many misconceptions about antipasti, beginning with the meaning of the word itself. Americans often believe "antipasto" means a dish served before a pasta course. Though, in fact, this may sometimes be the case, it isn't the real meaning of the term. Literally, the word "antipasto" is derived from the Latin root "anti" meaning "before" and "pastus," which means "meal." Thus, the antipasto course simply refers to the dish that precedes all the others to come.

Also, contrary to popular belief in the US, it is not common practice in Italy to have an antipasto at home. In a busy Italian family, a typical pre-dinner scenario is not so different from what goes on in an American household: kids and working parents come home hungry, and while waiting for lunch or dinner to be ready, they open the refrigerator and gobble a couple of slices of salami, prosciutto or cheese - in the informal, relaxed way we all are familiar with, without ceremony or concern about proper etiquette. In Italy, the beautifully prepared, decorously arranged plates of sliced, cured meats, vegetables, fish, and patés that Americans usually associate with antipasti are reserved for special occasions, such as family reunions, celebrations after religious ceremonies, special gatherings of friends, or romantic dinners.

In Italy, most restaurants offer a range of antipasti. Some are displayed on buffet tables or in refrigerated bars, from which guests can help themselves, or else make their request known to the waiter, who then prepares the plates and brings them to the table. In the finer restaurants, great importance is given to the antipasto course, and clientele - local and foreign alike - enjoy the opportunity to taste truly creative, unusual specialties, gorgeously presented. A famous example is the Carpaccio antipasto, originally created at Harry's Bar, the first restaurant of the renowned Cipriani family in Venice. The dish, which features extremely thin slices of raw beef topped with shavings of parmigiano (see recipe below), was named after the Venetian Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio, known for his use of radiant reds and whites. Today restaurants all over the world present a whole variety of different Carpaccio antipasti, which can be comprised of thinly sliced uncooked meat, fish or porcini mushrooms. Given how appealing antipasti dishes can be in such restaurants, it is not uncommon to skip the primo piatto (first course) entirely, and opt for an antipasto instead.

Serving antipasti at home

"Location, location, location" may be the motto of the real estate world, but in the realm of antipasti, it is "presentation, presentation, presentation." Color and design are particularly important considerations for this course because together they open the senses and awaken the palate for the meal that is to follow. An antipasto should whet the appetite - stuzzicare l'appetito - without being too big or too filling. Also, in choosing what antipasto to serve, it is important to keep in mind not only what tastes complement each other on the plate, but also what foods work well with the courses that are to follow.

Providing an appealing mixture and contrasts of textures, tastes and colors is an important guiding principle for antipasti. For instance, the smooth texture and neutral colors of a patè di tonno (tuna pate) is beautifully contrasted with the bright colors of parsley, lemon slices, and olives. Indeed, olives offer a fantastic array of color and taste to enhance all kinds of cold antipasti platters: olives marinated with herbs, stuffed olives with a nutty almond or hot spicy filling, or dark purple calamata olives all add their own unique flavor and color.

In Italy, the most common antipasto dish is a simple display of cured meats on a plate, such as prosciutto crudo di Parma or San Daniele, salame, coppa (capocollo), speck, and mortadella, or other regional, cured meats. These meats - many of which are available in the US - can be arranged on a large platter with various hard cheeses, such as pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano and garnished with a variety of olives - stuffed olives offer a special touch - preserved peppers, artichokes, cipolline (tiny pickled onions), and/or sundried tomatoes. Just a few sprigs of parsley or dill on the border of the platter provide an elegant, decorative touch.

For the warmer seasons, Insalata Caprese is a particularly refreshing antipasto, consisting of mozzarella and tomato, in alternating slices, topped with fresh basil leaves, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can serve individual skewers each comprised of a mozzarella ball, a fresh basil leaf and a small cherry tomato, seasoned as above.

Bruschette - that is, fresh bread, sliced and toasted (here without garlic) - with various toppings are perhaps the simplest antipasti to prepare. For example, bruschette layered with roasted peppers, eggplant, or zucchini - or simply fresh tomatoes and basil - are delicious. If desired, anchovies and capers can be added.

Another very simple topping for bruschette can be made from canned cannellini beans, drained and then sautéed (and lightly mashed) in olive oil with a bit of garlic and a couple of fresh, thinly sliced, sage leaves. Spread over toasted bread, this makes an exquisite antipasto. Beans and tuna fish marry very well: A great variation of the preceding antipasto is to purèe, in equal parts, canned cannellini beans with canned tuna fish, adding a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, a dash of parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

The aperitivi scene

In Milan, the enjoyment of an aperitif with some antipasti is a sort of institution. The word "aperitif" derives from the Latin verb "aperire," meaning "to open," and quite simply, an aperitif is meant to open the appetite with a drink - usually (but not always) an alcoholic one. Traditionally in Milan, drinking a Campari, while nibbling some potato chips, olives and peanuts, an hour or so before a meal, is considered as essential to the good life as La Scala, the world famous opera house. For many a Milanese, it would be unthinkable to begin a good meal without an aperitif. For instance, in the hours preceding Sunday lunch, bars in Milan have always been busy serving prosecco (the dry sparkling wine produced in the Veneto region), Campari, Aperol and various combinations of these with wine, seltzer or juice.

But over the years, the aperitivi scene has expanded upon that tradition significantly. What began in Milan about twenty years ago has since spread over much of northern and parts of central Italy: In the early 90s, some owners of the bars, pubs and wine bars (enoteche) located in the trendy areas of Milan, came up with the idea of an aperitivo happy hour, based on the American happy hour. Not surprisingly, the idea was conceived as a way to sell more drinks - primarily beer, which has become very popular in Italy among the younger generation, but also, prosecco and wine - by offering free, sometimes unlimited, antipasti (cold and warm), and even pasta or risotto dishes. The only catch was that the drinks were offered at a slightly higher price. According to a recent study, in Milan alone there are over 500 places serving aperitivi and free antipasti. Understandably, hanging out in a warm and cozy - and often noisy - bar, where it is possible to enjoy a drink or two, along with free food, is very appealing to young people. But for many, the antipastini, stuzzichini or assaggini, as these little mouthfuls are called, are not what's most important: it's the scene itself. Some places in the Navigli or Brera area of Milan are full every night; and not just there - from Turin to Parma, Padova to Bolzano, the aperitivi scene is thriving. In spite of the widespread popularity of this trend, young Italians are known to be very moderate in their consumption of alcohol - perhaps due to the fact that from an early age, drinking is seen to be part of the experience of life and a part of becoming an adult. In Italy, as in many countries around the Mediterranean Sea, drinking - particularly wine - is considered just as essential as eating - an aspect of life to be celebrated openly, without guilt or undue deliberation, and with natural moderation and wholehearted enjoyment.

RECIPES:

Beef Carpaccio

Tuna Fish and Potato Pâté

Watermelon Summer Salad

Roasted Piquillo Peppers with Herbed Goat Cheese Spread

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