Vegetable Antipasti Misti

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One of my favorite appetizers for a crowd is a tray of mixed vegetable antipasti. You can prepare the vegetables in advance, display them on platters, and serve with breads, olives, and/or cheese as you like. Guests can serve themselves and nibble as you chat and prepare the other course(s).

I also love old-school restaurants where you walk in and there is a sideboard filled with plates and platters of various vegetables. I hope this practice will survive post-pandemic. The picture below was taken at lunch at Ristorante Vecchia Roma, in Rome, in 2018. As you can see, it was much more than just vegetables, and more than just a sideboard full.

There is really no limit to what you can include on an antipasti platter. Some of my standards include roasted beets, roasted broccoli and/or cauliflower and/or Romanesco, roasted delicata squash, roasted red peppers, and caramelized onions. I particularly like both the texture and the slightly alien look of Romanesco. Artichokes are a messy, but fun and interactive, addition.

In addition to letting the quality and availability of vegetables dictate the selection, even when making just a small selection, I try to include different colors for visual appeal.

Vegetable Antipasti Misti
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Vegetable Antipasti Misti

Course: Appetizers

Ingredients

  • Romanesco

  • 1 head romanesco, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • salt

  • red pepper flakes (optional)

  • Delicata Squash

  • 2 delicata squash, washed, cut in half lengthwise, seeds remove, and sliced into half moon slices about 1/3 inch thick

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • salt

  • Artichoke(s)

  • 1 or more large artichokes

  • 1 lemon

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • salt

  • Spinach

  • 1 large bunch spinach, stems remove, rinsed and strained well (or spun in a salad spinner)

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 clove garlic, smashed but whole

  • red pepper flakes

  • salt

Directions

  • Romanesco
  • Heat oven to 425
  • Toss the romanesco with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes. Spread evenly on baking sheet.
  • Roast for about 20-25 minutes until tender. Roasting time will depend on how full the baking sheet is and how large your pieces are, so keep any eye on the vegetables after about 15 minutes, but it might take even longer than 25 minutes.
  • Let cool, then add to your antipasto platter.
  • Delicata Squash
  • Heat oven to 425
  • Very lightly oil a baking sheet. Spread slices evenly, and not too close together. Salt to taste.
  • Roast for about 10 minutes. When they are beginning to get nicely golden brown on the bottom, flip with a metal spatula and roast for about 7 to 10 minutes more.
  • Let cool, then add to your antipasto platter.
  • Artichokes
  • Heat oven to 425
  • Remove stem and cut top from the artichoke(s). At this point, I turn them upside down and press down to open up the leaves.
  • Squeeze lemon into large bowl of cold water. Add the artichokes and let soak for about 15 minutes.
  • Remove artichoke(s) from water and shake out excess.
  • Place each artichoke on a piece of aluminum foil, stem side down. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Wrap well with the aluminum foil.
  • Roast for about 45 minutes. Jumbo artichokes will take closer to an hour, and perhaps more, depending on how large they are.
  • Spinach
  • Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the garlic and hot pepper flakes. Cook until pepper begins to release its color and garlic releases its aroma. Remove the garlic.
  • Increase heat to medium-high. Add spinach using tongs. Sprinkle with salt. Cook until spinach is just wilted.
  • Note: sautéed spinach is also very good with some pine nuts added instead of the hot pepper. Slightly toast the pine nuts before adding the spinach, and some golden raisins tossed in at the end.