Six Italian antipasti recipes to inspire and delight, by Ravinder Bhogal

Everyone loves a snack before a meal, but Italians do it best. Not for them a communal bowl of crisps. Instead, they have exquisite ways to elevate seasonal produce into delicious antipasti. Literally translated as “before the meal”, an antipasto is a bite to stave off hunger and enliven the palate before the main event. It can be as simple as a briny olive or a nugget of parmesan, or as complex as an arancino — bite-size spheres of fried cheesy rice. Who can resist a slippery anchovy reclining in a glug of good olive oil or a ruffle of thinly sliced Parma ham clinging to a wedge of honeyed melon?

There is something instantly inviting about a table creaking under the weight of a medley of colourful platters. The generosity encourages relaxed grazing and good conversation. A few bites are perfect for a cocktail party, but the extraordinary variety of antipasti means you can put together a sumptuous spread of five or six that can stand as a meal on its own.

When planning your menu, pick out dishes with contrasting flavours and textures. Your aim is to keep your guests’ tongues wagging and mouths watering. You might want something sharp like a dish of pickled vegetables, lusciously creamy like a quivering burrata, as well as something hot and crisp such as fritto misto or some fried courgette flowers. Antipasti make lavish ingredients go a long way — a single fillet of beef or a scallop can be thinly sliced into an elegant carpaccio to feed the masses.

Most of these dishes can be prepared well in advance, and some call only for a light assembly of good ingredients. Seek out local Italian delis too for excellent produce from cheeses to charcuterie to bulk out anything you have prepared. That way, you won’t be tethered to the kitchen and can instead concentrate on being your convivial best.

Serve buffet-style, add prosecco and enjoy la bella vita.

Pickled garden vegetables

For a 2-litre jar

1. Begin by sterilising a two-litre jar. Wash it well in warm soapy water, then place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Carefully drain away the water and transfer the jar and its lid to a baking tray lined with a clean tea towel. Cover with a sheet of foil and place in a low oven until dry. Use straight from the oven.

2. Pour the vinegar into a large pot and then bring to a boil. Add the spices, garlic cloves and herbs then add the vegetables, and simmer for about five minutes.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables into your sterilised two-litre jar and pour over the hot vinegar to cover them.

4. Seal the jar, allow to cook, and then refrigerate. Consume within three weeks.

Easy gnocco fritto with Parma ham and marinated fennel

Serves 6

1. Place the fennel, fennel seeds, lemon peel, lemon juice and olive oil into a shallow dish. Season with sea salt and black pepper, mix and leave to marinade while you make the gnocco.

2. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-based saucepan (no more than half-full) to 180C. If you don’t have a thermometer, you will know the oil is ready when a cube of bread added to the pan turns golden in 20 seconds. Line a plate with kitchen paper. Deep-fry the lasagne pieces in small batches for four to five minutes till golden, tender and very crisp. Drain well on kitchen paper and season with a pinch of sea salt. Top with ham and marinated fennel, scattering over any reserved fronds and serve.

White bean crostini with crisp sage and pepperoni

Serves 6

1. Heat half the extra virgin olive oil in a wide pan over a low heat and then sauté the shallot and garlic until softened. Add the lemon zest, three of the sage leaves, finely chopped, and the pul biber and fry again until fragrant. Add the cannellini beans, cook briefly, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer on a low heat for five to six minutes and then purée until smooth with the remaining oil, seasoning and lemon juice.

2. Clean out the pan and heat the 50ml of olive oil until hot, then add the sage leaves in a single layer and fry until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Put the pan back on the heat and then fry the slices of pepperoni for three minutes until crisp.

3. In the meantime, heat a griddle until very hot and toast the bread on both sides until beautifully charred.

4. To serve, spread each piece of baguette with the white bean purée and top with slices of pepperoni and crisp sage leaves. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to serve.

Fried courgette flowers stuffed with anchovies and almonds

makes 8 flowers

For the batter

1. Begin by making the almond stuffing. Soak the almonds and bread with enough boiling water to cover and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid. Process in a blender with the parmesan, oil, vinegar and seasoning, then add enough of the soaking liquid to give you a smooth, creamy texture. Stir in the lemon zest.

2. Gently open each flower and remove the stamen if there is one. Place spoonfuls of filling inside along with an anchovy. Gently twist the petals together at the ends to contain the filling. Make sure there is no exposed filling. Repeat with all the flowers.

3. Make the batter just before frying. Sift the rice flour and baking powder into a bowl and whisk in the sparkling water. Do not overwork. Roll the courgette flower in the seasoned flour and then dip to coat the flower in batter delicately — this should be a thin, light coating.

4. Fill a deep saucepan one-third full with sunflower oil. Heat it to 180C (if you don’t have a thermometer, you will know it’s ready when a cube of bread turns golden in 20 seconds). Holding the flower by the stem, dip the head into the oil for a few seconds to set the batter before releasing. Fry in batches until golden brown and crisp. Drain very well on kitchen paper, letting the oil come back up to temperature between batches. Serve immediately.

Charred melon and prosciutto with Marsala caramel

Serves 6

For the Marsala caramel

1. In a small saucepan, dissolve 75ml of the Marsala with the caster sugar over a medium heat. Bubble for five to six minutes or until an amber-coloured caramel forms. Pour in the remaining Marsala and bring back to the boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sherry vinegar. Set aside to cool.

2. To prepare the melon, heat a griddle to a medium high. Place a couple of basil leaves on either side of a wedge and then wrap with prosciutto. Repeat with the remaining melon, basil, and prosciutto. Drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and then grill on both sides until charred and the ham is crisp. Lay on a platter and drizzle over the Marsala caramel.

Charred flatbreads with ricotta and marinated tomatoes

Serves 4

For the marinated tomatoes

For the dough

1. Lay the tomatoes in a shallow dish and top with herbs. Put all the other ingredients in a jar, screw the lid tightly and shake vigorously. Pour over the tomatoes and leave to marinate at room temperature for one hour.

2. Make the dough for the flatbreads by putting all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mixing together. Create a well in the centre, then stir 125ml water into the oil, pour into the well and knead until you have a smooth, springy dough.

3. Preheat a griddle pan to a high heat. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and divide into four. Roll each portion into a ball, then roll into an oval about seven millimetres thick. Brush the pan with oil, then lay over the flatbreads and cook for about three minutes on either side, until charred and cooked through. Drizzle with olive oil, spread with the ricotta and top with the tomatoes and more fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Ravinder Bhogal is chef-patron of Jikoni. Follow Ravinder on Instagram @cookinboots and Twitter @cookinboots