Antipasto Platter

Antipasto Platter

Mix and Match or make all of them.

Marinated Mozzarella Balls

1 lb. mozzarella balls

2 C. olive oil

1/2 t. thyme leaves

1 t. oregano flakes

1 1/2 t. dried parsley flakes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 t. paprika

1 1/2 t. dried bell pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a 1-quart glass jar. Cover and shake to blend. Marinate in refrigerator, shaking jar.

Prosciutto-wrapped Shrimp on Fresh Rosemary Skewers

12 6-inch sprigs of rosemary

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on

1/4 cup sambuca (anisette liqueur may be substituted)

1/2 cup olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 paper thin slices of prosciutto

Preheat oven to 350°F. Gently pull rosemary leaves off the stalks leaving only a little of the green leaves at the top of the stalk. Set the rosemary leaves aside.

Cut each prosciutto slice lengthwise into thirds. Wrap 1 slice of prosciutto snugly around the center of each shrimp. Thread 2 wrapped shrimp onto each of the rosemary stalks and place in a nonreactive dish.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sambuca and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and pour over shrimp.

Let marinade 15 to 30 minutes, turning shrimp halfway through.

Place on baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes or until shrimp are pink and cooked through.

Green Olives with Sun Dried Tomatoes

1/4 to 1/2 C. marinated sun-dried tomatoes, cut into quarters, halves or slices

3 garlic cloves, chopped

Large pinch of thyme

2 cups Greek or Turkish green olives

Enough brine/olive oil to moisten the mixture

Mix together all ingredients and spoon into jars.

These will keep only about 2 weeks in the refrigerator, either in a sealed jar or in a covered bowl.

Yields about 2 1/2 cups

Zucchini Sausage Squares

1 lb. zucchini

12 oz. bulk pork sausage or turkey sausage

1/2 C. chopped onion

4 large eggs

1/2 C. grated parmesan cheese

18 Ritz crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup crumbs)

1 t. dried basil, crumbled

1/2 t. dried oregano, crumbled

1/8 t. black pepper

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 C. (about 4 ounces) shredded sharp regular or low-fat cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Wash the zucchini, trim off the stems and shred the zucchini. Set it aside.

Saute the sausage and onion in a medium skillet, stirring to break up the sausage, until all pink is gone; drain off all fat.

Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl until frothy. Stir in the parmesan cheese, cracker crumbs, basil, oregano, pepper, garlic, sausage and zucchini.

Spoon the mixture into a greased 7-by-11-inch shallow glass baking dish, spreading the top smooth. Bake for 25 minutes.

Sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese, and bake 15 minutes longer.

Remove the dish from the oven, cool slightly, and cut into 1 1/2-inch squares.

Marinated Tortellini Skewers

50 uncooked cheese-filled spinach tortellini

3/4 lb. mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

50 grape or cherry tomatoes, or small pitted ripe olives

Marinade:

2/3 C. tarragon vinegar

1/2 C. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

2 T. water

Hot red pepper sauce to taste

1 T. fresh chopped parsley

Small wooden skewers or good-quality toothpicks

Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain well and cool completely.

In a medium bowl or plastic sealable bag, place the tortellini, mozzarella cubes, tomatoes and olives. Set aside.

In a glass measuring cup or jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the marinade ingredients. Pour the marinade over the tortellini. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.

Thread one tortellini, a cheese cube, and a tomato or olive on each skewer or toothpick. Arrange on a serving platter.

Makes 50 appetizers.

Note: Substitute your favorite Italian dressing for the marinade. Mix and match the tortellini, tomato, olives and cheese as desired.

Portabella Crostini

1 large portobello mushroom, stemmed and sliced very thin

1 tbsp. olive oil

Six 1/2 inch slices Italian bread, cut on a long diagonal

Six 1/2 inch slices mozzarella cheese, cut to fit the bread

1 jar (4 or 5 oz.) roasted red sweet peppers, slivered

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the mushroom slices with the oil. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and over them with slices of cheese. Bake until the cheese is half melted, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, arrange the mushroom slices, and sprinkle the slivered peppers over. Return the crostini to the oven and bake 4 minutes more, or until the cheese is fully melted. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.

Pesto-Fontina Tartlets with Red Onions

1 ready-made piecrust dough
2/3 cup diced fontina cheese
2/3 cup pesto
3 tbsp. chopped red onions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the dough to half its original thickness and cut into 24 1-1/2 inch rounds. Fit the rounds into 24 mini muffin cups. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, and cool.

In a food processor, combine the cheese with the pesto. Fold the onions into the mixture. Distribute among the muffin cups (the tartlets can be frozen at this point). Bake until the filling has melted, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove the tarts from the tins and serve at once.

Makes 24 tartlets.