Antipasti is a must for Italians. Simple to pull together, it gives the palate an array of flavors to choose from before the main meal. Often, what goes on an antipasti platter takes a matter of minutes to prepare, which can bide you some time if the main course is a bit more labor intensive than anticipated.

Three tips to start:

The base, of course, is a beautiful platter on which to arrange your sampling of pre-meal foods. Here at Via Umbria, we suggest five different types of decorative serving pieces to begin your meal with a “wow” factor.

Unless you’re planning a party with lots of guests, keep the antipasto simple so you don’t crowd out the main meal.

The fragrance and appearance of the food that you serve is important, so blending flavors, aromas and colors will make for the most interesting antipasto platters. Having a beautiful and colorful ceramic base certainly can’t hurt either!

FISH TRAYS 

Our long fish trays are one of our favorite platters because they are very narrow, fitting perfectly down the center of your table for maximum access!

We fill our tray with:

• Pecorino with truffle sauce 
• Fig compote and prosciutto

SMALLER PLATTERS 

Our circular cake plates, and square platters are well suited for bruschetta and artichokes, as they are smaller and easy to pass. We always have fresh bread, paired with easy spreads on the table as well.

We fill our smaller platters with:

• Bruschetta, created easily with fresh new olive oil from the latest harvest, and bruschetta seasoning
• Artichokes, we usually have two types and they are always a hit. Try them both grilled and marinated!
• Easy spreads for bread include organic yellow pesto, sun-dried tomato cream, and caramelized onion spread.

DECORATIVE BOWLS 

Beautifully painted ceramic bowls are perfect for containing a loose salad. We love like something created with beans or farro, which add a bit of texture and protein to your spread.

We fill our bowl with:

• Panzanella, a summer classic
• Umbrian lentil salad (recipe here, and you can buy authentic lentils here)

CONDIMENT BOWL

While we put our cheese on the fish tray or square platter, our condiment bowls, are filled with complementary jams nearby. And who could forget the obligatory olives!

We fill our continent bowls with:

• Nuts, usually pistachios
• Apricot jam, to pair with Tallegio cheese
• Many different types of olives

SUSHI TRAY 

One catchall platter that always impresses is the sushi tray. The waves in this tray add a unique touch to the spread on your table.

We fill our sushi tray with:

Oh so many marinated vegetables

• Peppers
• Onions
• Sundried tomatoes

Use this guide as a launching off point, but don’t forget to get creative with what is in season around you! Throwing on some fresh vegetables is an easy way to complement the preserved antipasti straight from Italy, which we stock.

The next time you need to create and antipasti platter in a hurry, think Via Umbria! Shop our ceramics and antipasti today!

Ci Vediamo!

—Via Umbria