Wondering how to impress your guests for dinner? It’s so simple! In less than 10 minutes you can prepare a delightful and 100% Italian antipasto (starter). A perfect beginning of any dinner…it’s guaranteed! Tonight two fabulous ideas:
1. Beef-Carpaccio with Rucola and Parmesan Shavings or Bresaola con Rucola & Grana how the Italians call it.
Ingredients:
- Bresaola (air-dried, salted beef)
- Rucola
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil extra vergine
- 1 lemon
- pepper
How to prepare:
- For the dressing: Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a cup and add some pepper. Mix well.
- Put 5 slices of Bresaola on a plate
- Drop a handful of rucola on top of it.
- Pour a bit of the dressing over it.
- Add the parmesan shavings at the end.
A glamorous starter in no-time! Buon appetito…
2. Caprese salad or Insalata Capresehere in Italy.
Ingredients:
- Small mozzarella balls (preferably Buffalo mozzarella)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Fresh basil leaves
- Bamboo skewers (or Satay sticks or how you want to call them)
How to prepare:
- Soak the skewers in hot water for 30 minutes (didn’t count this in when I said less than 10 minutes…oops).
- Thread the mozzarella balls, tomatoes and basil leaves alternately on each skewer.
Can’t it be any more simple? Perfect for the vegetarians among us as well! Buon Appetito…
Do you know a simple, excellent, 100% Italian starter? Tell me and I might choose yours to prepare myself and post about it!
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Exactly what I had for entree yesterday and it was simple and tasty.
Really?! Lucky you! Did you eat it outdoors or did you make it yourself?
I was at a function and this was one of the selections for entree. But as l have an outdoor wood fired pizza oven l will be making your favorite food this weekend.Pizza
Oh wow…..having a wood fired pizza oven yourself is just terrific!!! Enjoy the pizza John…I’ll be eating it as well this weekend but in a pizzeria…..
So true – most cooking in Italy is extremely simple, and most of the time any one dish only contains two major ingredients…
That’s why I love the Italian cuisine
! Simple, healthy and so yummy!! Any other ideas for a good ‘antipasto’ is always welcome.. Grazie Alessandro!
Will definitely be sharing this one with the hubby, he is really into cooking at the moment and is making great use of our italian recipe books.
Perfect! If I may ask, which books does he use??
He uses Gondola on the Murray by Stefano de Pieri, A little taste of Italy, Italy the beautiful cookbook by Lorenza de Medici and Italian Cooking School. I also find for him on the Internet from blogs such as yours and recipe websites.
Thanks for the tips…going to check them out, first on the internet…
And thanks for using my blog as well 
Oh, and check out “The Silver Spoon”… Have a lovely weekend!
Your suggestions for making guests happy is perfect. I love bresaola but don’t see it in New England. I always order it when we are in Europe.
Thanks Karen, it’s too bad that you can’t buy it in New England…maybe something similar? Or order it as you do and make it a REAL special dinner
What a delightful idea!!! Thanks for the deliciously simple recipes! Sharon
You’re welcome Sharon!!
Have a fun preparing it 
So simple but so nice and tasty. Love it.
You are completely right
Grazie Anna!