Aperitivo Night

The perfect spread to make 'Aperitivo Hour' last the night.

Aperitivi comes before antipasti. Antipasti comes before pasta. And on and on, and so it goes. But, what if I were to suggest you marry your two A’s, ditch (for now) primi & secondi, and instead, let 'Aperitivo Hour' last the night?

🍸 The Perfect Spread

On the Meat Platter

• Lardo – slices of pure fat will never constitute as #healthyeating. But, it is what it says on the tin (or lack of). No cover-ups. No hidden horrors. Lardo is truly bad for me, and don’t I know it.

• Pancetta affumicata

• Finocchiona – the smell of salami infused with fennel often reminds me of cat wee. Yet, if so, what an attractive by-product, and one I’ll happily put in my mouth.

• Mortadella – spam-like if sliced thickly. But, cut wafer-thin, you should be able to make out my beaming face behind it.

• Capocollo

On the Cheese Platter

I hold my hands up. This part of the meal was not Italian. My Borough Market globe-trotting took me to East Spain, and back home to cosy England.

• Sinodun Hill – an Oxfordshire goat’s cheese that finds itself on my "Best of British" post. What's so good about it? Read, try, and find out.

• Moluengo – the velvety, ash-coated, Spanish goat’s cheese that I paid tribute to in my Pomodoro, Caprino & Prosciutto di Parma Crostini.

• Doddington – A raw cow's milk cheese from 'up North' with an impressive whack of flavour. Think of a very mature cheddar; crystal-ridden, intense, and creamy. Then add to that the sharpness and bite of a Parmesan.

Crostini

Take your pick from my selection. This time, I had left-overs of a couple of jars to use up, so opted for:

· Melanzane Pesto Crostini

· Truffle & Artichoke Crostini

Olives

If you want to go all-out Italian, I'd suggest the hearty and moreish Sicilian 'Nocellara del Belice' olives.

Tomato Salsa

Follow my Tomato Crostini recipe, and dunk it into a bowl, rather than onto a crostino.

Green Beans

'You must eat your greens' has been drilled into me from a young age. Hence the introduction of a contorno. But, who said a healthy side has to be boring? Fry up some greens (I used beans) with crushed garlic, a good glug of extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little chilli for a slight kick.

Bread

Because no meal is complete without it. If you’re feeling particularly fancy, bake your own. Or, if like me, trust a shop-bought, crusty baguette.

And there you have it, the perfect spread to make 'Aperitivo Hour' last the night.