Rustic Italian Farmhouse Board (Printable Version)

Generous antipasto platter with Italian cheeses, cured meats, torn bread, and fresh accompaniments for sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheeses

01 - 7 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, broken into large chunks
02 - 7 oz Pecorino Toscano, cut into wedges
03 - 5 oz Taleggio, torn into rustic pieces

→ Cured Meats

04 - 5 oz Prosciutto di Parma, loosely piled
05 - 4 oz Finocchiona salami, thickly sliced
06 - 4 oz Coppa, arranged in rustic folds

→ Bread

07 - 1 large rustic Italian loaf (such as ciabatta), torn into rough pieces

→ Accompaniments

08 - 1 cup Castelvetrano olives
09 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
10 - 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
11 - 1 small bunch fresh grapes or figs, halved
12 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
13 - Fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish
14 - Coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Place cheeses on a large wooden board, breaking or tearing them into irregular chunks and rustic wedges for visual interest.
02 - Loosely pile prosciutto and coppa, and arrange the salami slices in generous, overlapping layers.
03 - Tear the rustic Italian loaf into uneven pieces and scatter them around the board.
04 - Distribute olives, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and halved fruit in ample piles between the cheeses and meats.
05 - Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over bread and cheeses, garnish with rosemary sprigs, then season lightly with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It requires absolutely no cooking, so you can create something restaurant-worthy in your kitchen without any stress or technical skill.
  • The visual impact is stunning and effortless—your guests will think you spent hours when you spent twenty minutes simply arranging beautiful things.
  • It works for almost any occasion: an intimate dinner, a casual gathering, a weekend lunch, or an elegant appetizer course.
  • Once assembled, it invites people to linger longer at the table, naturally slowing down conversation and creating those moments that matter.
02 -
  • The most common mistake is bringing cheeses straight from the refrigerator and serving them cold. Take them out 30-45 minutes before serving; they taste richer and more complex at room temperature, and their textures become more appealing.
  • Don't use pre-sliced cured meats. The difference between freshly sliced from the counter and packaged is dramatic—the fresh stuff has better texture and the flavors haven't muted from oxidation.
  • Composition matters far more than ingredient quantity. A thoughtfully arranged board with less food looks more elegant and inviting than a overcrowded one. Let your beautiful ingredients breathe.
  • Assemble everything except the olive oil drizzle in advance if you'd like, but add the oil just before serving—it's the final touch that says 'this was made with care.'
03 -
  • Invest in a beautiful wooden board—it becomes part of the presentation and will last for decades. Oil it occasionally with food-grade mineral oil to keep it from drying out.
  • When arranging, work in clusters and sections rather than scattering everything evenly. Your eye wants to see groupings, and it makes the board feel more intentional and generous.
  • If you must make this ahead, keep components in separate containers and assemble no more than a few hours before serving. The bread will dry out, and the oils on the meats will start to separate.
  • Remember that temperature matters: cheeses at room temperature taste exponentially better. That 30-minute rest period is non-negotiable if you want your guests to taste what you've carefully chosen.
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