Delicious cured meats, fruits, veggies, and cheeses to include on an Italian antipasto appetizer platter, and the best way to arrange the tray for entertaining.

See just how easy it is to create your own charcuterie board that will be perfect for entertaining – from holidays to everyday occasions.

Antipasto or Charcuterie, Which Is It?

It can be a bit confusing with all the different names thrown about, but it is really quite simple.

Charcuterie is a French term for processed meat.
Antipasto is an Italian term meaning “before meal.”

The biggest difference between a true charcuterie board and an antipasto platter is that the charcuterie does not have cheese. They have become very trendy and a bit Americanized to where they include pretty much anything you want – and I am okay with that!

What to Include on Your Antipasto Board?

The best part of an antipasto platter is how versatile it is. Use the items that work best for you and your guests.

I have created my antipasto board around the tastes of  southern Italy:

Ingredients:

1 large burrata cheese ball
4 oz Provolone cheese, cut into bite-size pieces
6 oz sopressata, thinly sliced
4 fresh figs quartered
4 oz fresh ricotta cheese
3 tbsp fig jam
3 tbsp walnuts or pecans, chopped
6 oz jar roasted red peppers, sliced
4 oz marinated and seasoned mixed olives
8 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1½ lbs red seedless grapes
Crusty Italian bread thinly sliced
Fresh basil and rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Some other suggestions are:
Charcuterie – Proscuitto, salami
Cheeses – Brie, goat, fontinella
Sweet – Candied nuts, chocolate, honey
Savory – Pickles, hot pepper relish
Bread – Breadsticks, pita chips, multigrain crackers

How to Plate Your Antipasto

The presentation is just as important as what is being served. Sure, you could toss all the items onto a few different paper plates and call it a day – but why go to the trouble of putting together a fantastic spread if you aren’t going to present it in the same fantastic way?

Invest in a good serving board or platter, and you’ll get years worth of use out of it. Also, don’t forget serving utensils.

Once you have your serving platter chosen, it’s time to put it all together. Begin by placing the burrata in the center of your serving platter and arranging the Provolone cheese, sopressata, and fresh figs around it.

Fill a small serving bowl with the ricotta cheese and top it with fig jam (here’s my recipe for homemade fig jam that is super easy and out of this world). Top that with walnuts or pecans (here’s my recipe for candied pecans) and place it near the burrata arrangement.

Transfer the roasted red peppers, seasoned olives, and marinated artichoke hearts to individual serving dishes and position near the other items.

Tuck the grapes along with the fresh herbs and the bread slices around the other ingredients to create a pleasing display.

Looking for other appetizers to serve for your special occasion? Don’t miss:
Stuffed Hot Peppers
Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Strawberry Caprese

Make an antipasto charcuterie and cheese board that will brighten any occasion with the sweet and savory tastes of Southern Italy.

Show me your antipasto trays! Tag@coolbeanliving on Instagram with a picture of your charcuterie and cheese board.