The Romans served many different appetizers to begin their banquets. The most popular items were seasoned eggs and egg-based dishes, vegetables, salad, mushrooms and truffles, assorted shellfish, cheese with herbs, olives, sausages, and even more filling dishes, such as complicated fricassees and casseroles, which today would be considered complete meals in themselves.
Antipasto denotes the dishes served before (anti) the pasta (pasto) course.
Antipasti are based around simple produce. In some restaurants in Italy it is a chance for the restaurant to show off a little, they know that this prelude to the meal says a lot about what you are trying to achieve with your food and the dishes that follow. Don’t get stuck in a rut thinking you must have artichokes or you must have cured meat. The antipasti in Italy is the time when everyone sits down at the table, gets a glass of wine and starts talking. What does the food that you first set out for your family and friends say?
