Make it A Fancy Friend Date With This No-Cook Antipasto

You don’t have to cook up a storm to make a memorable meal for your friends this International Day of Friendship. Instead, whip up this antipasto platter using Italian cured meats and cheeses you can easily buy from the deli.

If you’re like most people, you might be wondering what an antipasto is and what the difference is with the more popular charcuterie boards. In the purest sense of the words, antipasto comes from Italy and translates to food eaten before a meal. It’s like an appetizer that’s composed of Italian meats, cheeses, and appetizers unique to regions in Italy. Charcuterie refers to a specific way of curing meat in France and by that definition, is all meat. However, as food continues to evolve, charcuterie boards and antipasto tend to be interchangeable, at least in terms of how people make it at home. For this particular recipe, our antipasto platter takes a page from Italy and focuses on Italian meats, cheeses, and vegetables. We also included an olive tapenade dip that’s made extra creamy and flavorful with Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise.