CookWomanFood.com

Antipasto salads are great accompaniments for any meal, or great meals all on their own. An antipasto is food served before a meal, usually used to stimulate the appetite. Hmm. I don’t usually need my appetite stimulated, do you? They can be made a number of different ways, just be sure the ingredients are fresh. I decided to try a chopped vegetable, meat, and cheese antipasto with a homemade salad dressing. The results were quite refreshing and stimulating. After all, I ate it all and then my meal. Add some pasta and voila! a complete meal that is perfect for the summer or whenever!

Chopped Antipasto

1 cup chopped broccoli florets
1 cup chopped peppers: mix of green, yellow, orange, and red
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup tiny carrots
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup chopped salami
fresh grated parmesan cheese

Antipasto Dressing

2 cloves of finely minced garlic
2 tbsps. chopped basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in a jar and refrigerate for 1 hour before adding to antipasto.

Toss all ingredients except parmesan cheese. Add the dressing and refrigerate. Right before serving, grate some fresh parmesan cheese on the top. Serve with a crusty bread.