Guide to making a great antipasto platter

Antipasto platters are the best when sharing with friends and family and they are especially delicious when paired with a nice bottle of wine. Here are some of our tips for creating a great antipasto platter.

1. The cheeses: you want to buy 3 or 4 different types we suggest Manchego, blue cheese, Gouda, fresh mozzarella, flavored cream cheeses or a trusty cheddar cheese.

2. Sliced Meats: assorted sliced meats are a must - we like using Spanish Chorizo, prosciutto, salami, Jamon and pastrami.

3. Olives: Lets face it olives need there own sections, try grabbing some from the deli section of the supermarket they often offer olives marinated or stuffed.

4. Dips and Pastes: These can add some great flavours, I love having hummus on my platter which add that delicious nuttiness. I also like to put out some quince paste which gives a yummy sweetness to pair with the saltiness of the cheese. Another great addition is patte most people love patte and it is great with some crackers.

5. Dried Fruit and Nuts: The same reason as adding dips and pastes its a great addition to any antipasto platter. I use almonds, pecans, walnuts, dried figs and dried apricots.

6. Crackers or bread: A must, you need some kind of crackers or bread. I love using either Turkish bread or sour dough and water crackers.

7. Added extras: I like adding some fresh ingredients like carrot sticks, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes and grapes.

8. WINE: Wine and food pairings are a must and here are a few of our favourites to pair with an antipasto platter.
- Sangiovese - Cured meat, olives, hard cheese and other antipasto ingredients can be quite acidic. For this reason the acidity of Sangiovese complements antipasto very well.
-Tempranillo - A Spanish wine for a dish that Spain perfected... If you are having any kind of dried meat, especially Prosciutto, you really owe it to yourself to get a bottle of Tempranillo to go alongside.
-Rose - The fatty but saltiness of cured meats like Jamon is matched perfectly by the acidity of a dry Rose!