Calabrese Antipasto Recipes

BOMBA CALABRESE (SPICY CALABRIAN PEPPER SPREAD)

Steps:

• Place mushrooms, onion, and eggplant into bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off until very finely chopped but not liquefied, 8 to 10 pulses.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil into a skillet. Transfer mushroom mixture to skillet over medium-high heat. Add a large pinch of salt. Cook until mixture is soft, stirring, about 10 minutes.
• Cut off tops of cherry peppers; discard stems but save the ring of pepper around it. (Do wear protective gloves for this.) Cut the peppers in half and remove the seed pods. Shake out the rest of the seeds. Prep the bell peppers and habanero peppers the same way. Place all peppers in bowl of food processor. Pulse on and off until peppers are very finely chopped, but not liquefied. Transfer peppers to eggplant-onion-mushroom mixture in skillet. Add remaining olive oil. Cook and stir over medium-high heat, reducing heat as needed if mixture looks like it may brown. Add fennel seeds, oregano, and a pinch of salt. Cook until peppers are sweet and tender, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• Stir in white wine vinegar and (optionally) another tablespoon of olive oil. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and cool to room temperature. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt, a splash of vinegar, and/or olive oil, if needed. Transfer to jars. Store in refrigerator.

BACCALA ALLA CALABRESE

Steps:

• In a large pot, saute the onions in the olive oil over medium heat until they are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, olives, bay leaves, and basil and allow to simmer for roughly 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, baccala and potatoes; allow to simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and serve immediately.

ANTIPASTO CALZONE

Steps:

• Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch diameter circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a heavy baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.
• In a medium bowl, combine the cheeses, salami, peppers, olives, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Put the cheese mixture on 1 side of the dough leaving a 1-inch border. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg. Fold the unfilled side of the dough over the filling and using the tines of a fork, press the edges of the dough together to seal. Drizzle with olive oil. Using a paring knife, cut a 1/2-inch wide slit in the top layer of the dough. Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut the calzone into slices and serve with warm marinara sauce, if desired.

MARINATED ROASTED VEGETABLE ANTIPASTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Arrange vegetables on a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for 7 to 8 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. When vegetables are cool enough to handle begin layering on a large dish. Place eggplant in the bottom of the dish, drizzle with some olive oil, and add some of the garlic. Add some of the fresh herbs, and then some olives. Sprinkle a little vinegar on top and season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to layer vegetables, along with seasonings, adding the peppers next, and then fennel, and finally the zucchini. Cover dish with plastic wrap and let chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

CAPRESE ANTIPASTO

Steps:

• To roast peppers, set them directly in the flames of a stovetop gas burner turned to high, or over hot coals if you happen to be grilling. (You could also roast under the broiler, with peppers as close to heat source as possible.) Turn peppers with tongs until skins are blackened and blistered all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a plate and let cool. To peel, cut peppers lengthwise. Scrape seeds and veins away with your knife, then turn peppers over and scrape away charred skin. Slice peeled peppers into 1/2-inch ribbons and place in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss. (Peppers may be roasted up to a day ahead.)
• Cut mozzarella into 1/4-inch slices. Cut tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices and halve cherry tomatoes.
• Arrange mozzarella slices in the center of a large platter. Surround with tomatoes and sprinkle lightly with salt. Add roasted pepper strips, caperberries and olives. Drape prosciutto around the platter. Garnish with basil leaves. Drizzle generously with olive oil and serve.

ANTIPASTO

Steps:

• Mix first 5 ingredients in large pot. Boil 5 minutes.
• Add next 4 ingredients, boil 10 minutes.
• Add balance of ingredients. Try not to break up shrimp and tuna too much. Bring to just boiling.
• Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
• Note: *Drain everything except olives and pickled onion juice. Biffy and Frank's flub (taste great.) Omit vinegar.
• Optional - small amount of brown sugar, HP sauce, chopped garlic, hot pepper sauce (dried or fresh) WE NEVER USE THESE.
• Something sure has changed with Recipe Zaar! When trying to put the ingredients in it was a big pain in the butt for the sizes. I've converted the grams to ounces but I didn't have everything in my cupboard to actually look at so I guessed. But most cans come pretty standard, and the "Frozen Shrimp" is a large bag -- it wouldn't let me put just "large.".