Antipasto platter

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 8 marinated artichokes
• 200g kalamata olives
• 16 slices chargrilled kumara (orange sweet potato)
• 24 slices chargrilled zucchini
• 280g jar chargrilled mushrooms, drained
• 150g semi-dried tomatoes
• 16 slices double smoked ham
• 16 slices mortadella
• 16 slices prosciutto
• rocket leaves, to serve
• Ingredients for garlic bread: (see following)
• 150g butter, softened
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 5 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1 large French stick

Method

1. Make garlic bread: Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine butter, garlic and basil in a bowl. Cut bread into 1.5cm-thick slices. Spread butter mixture on both sides of each slice. Wrap in foil. Place onto a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot.
2. Place artichokes, olives, kumara, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, ham, mortadella and prosciutto onto a large platter. Serve with rocket and hot bread.

Notes & tips

Tip: Deli meats will keep longer if removed from plastic and wrapped in baking paper. Store in an airtight container in the coldest part of your fridge

How to put together the perfect cheese platter

For best results when preparing a cheese platter, follow these tips.

Tip 1:
Remove your cheese from the fridge one hour before serving - the flavour is best when the cheese is at room temperature.

Tip 2:
Use the right knife - a knife with holes helps to stop soft cheese from sticking. For hard cheese, try a cheese planer - shaped like a small cake slice with a blade.

Tip 3:
Provide a knife for each cheese on the platter to avoid mixing all the different flavours.