It's simple to make, too – all you need is some quality ingredients and a little bit of patience. The term antipasto comes from the Italian word antepastus which means “before the meal”. Traditionally served as an appetiser, an antipasto platter is the perfect way to whet your appetite before the main course.
Antipasti is an Italian platter that contains a combination of cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and other complementary items, while charcuterie primarily focuses on cured meats. For 2025 can we go back to saying ANTIPASTI Instead of "Charcuterie"🇮🇹👨🏻🍳
Antipasto is Italian in origin. The term itself means "before the meal." It's a traditional first course in an Italian dinner and includes a variety of colorful, flavorful items meant to stimulate the appetite. An antipasto platter might include items like cured meats, cheeses, olives, artichokes, and peppers.
Affettati misti is an Italian antipasto dish consisting of a selection of sliced cured meats including **Prosciutto di Parma**, **Coppa piacentina**, **Mortadella**, and **Salame felino**. These meats come from different regions in Italy and each has its own distinct flavor and texture.
An antipasto platter is the Italian version of a charcuterie spread. Both typically include a variety of cured meats, cheeses, and bite-sized accompaniments arranged for sharing. The charcuterie and antipasto platter serves the same role.
noun. [ feminine ] /insa'lata/ (pianta) salad plant , lettuce.
Recently, it's been various snack items artfully arranged on a wooden or marble board. The internet calls these “charcuterie boards” and according to Google the term charcuterie has skyrocketed in usage recently. There are “chocolate charcuterie boards,” with candy scattered across it.
The Italian noun antipasto (plural, antipasti) comes from the Italian word “pasto,” which means meal. The antipasto consists of an appetizer served before the other courses (primo piatto, secondo piatto, and dolce), which can be served cold or hot.
The antipasto platter is very similar to a charcuterie board. Both involve dry, cured meats and garnishes. The main difference between Antipasto vs Charcuterie, aside from their cultural background, is that the charcuterie does not normally have cheese. Many people will add cheese in order to provide yet more variety.
The second 'rule' of making a charcuterie board is really more like a set of guidelines. Some insist that you follow the '3-3-3-3 Rule,' which must include 3 cheeses, 3 meats, 3 starches (breads and/or crackers), and 3 accompaniments (such as fresh and/or dried fruit, nuts, spreads).
Salumi is a term to describe a wide range of different Italian-style meats. They are typically salted, cured or preserved and while salumi is most often pork, it can be virtually any type of fermented meat.
Focus: Antipasto is a platter that contains a combination of cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and other complementary items, whereas charcuterie is primarily focused on cured meats. Origin: Antipasto originated in Italy, while charcuterie is a French term.
Antipasti, literally "before the pasta", is the Italian name for what we typically call appetizers or hors d'oeuvres – or something that is served first in a formal multi-course meal.
Every board includes a mix of Italian cured meats, a selection of regional cheeses, and flavourful extras that add texture, colour, and contrast – think marinated vegetables, olives, fresh fruit, nuts, and bread or crackers.
Whether you call it a tasting plate, grazing board, party platter, entertaining plate or charcuterie board – it's all about the flavour!
Cicchetti, spuntini, aperitivi. There are a few words used in Italy to refer to the little nibbles which aren't big enough to call antipasti to start your meal.
An hors d'oeuvre (/ɔːr ˈdɜːrv(rə)/ or DURV(-rə); French: hors-d'œuvre [ɔʁ dœvʁ(ə)]), appetiser, appetizer or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot.
Apericena: The Last Dance of the Aperitivo
Something has indeed changed since Covid–not only in name but also in form and a bit in function. While the Milanese happy hour was a buffet, and there are still some around, apericena is now more of a large plate of various comestible items served at the table.
In Italy, charcuterie is known as antipasti, the traditional first course of a meal. Antipasti boards bring together cured meats like prosciutto or speck, cheese such as pecorino or Parmigiano, plus bread, olives, and vegetables or fruits.
Hors d'oeuvres are small items served before dinner, often accompanied by cocktails. They're most commonly found at cocktail parties or during the cocktail hour of a reception or gala. Most of the time, hors d'oeuvres are considered 'finger foods' and can be eaten while standing and mingling.
The word "charger" originated around 1275–1325 from the Middle English "chargeour", coming itself from the Latin word carricare, meaning “to load". Formerly, a charger signified either a large platter or a large, shallow dish for liquids. They are usually larger than most common dinner plates.
Salads in Italy come in many varieties, including simple insalata verde (green salad, just a big bowl of lettuce), insalata mista (mixed salad of lettuce, carrots, tomato, perhaps some fennel), and meal-size insalatone (big salads filled with cheeses, meats, seafood, fruits, nuts).
Guide to the Traditional Italian Meal Structure