I'm Pro Antipasto Platters

Antipasto platters are so simple yet really just so full of flavor. They can be a mix of any veggies, cheeses, or meats that you'd like. It is usually served cold or warm temperature. I had fun thinking of what vegetables I had around that would be good roasted off in the oven then cooled to room temperature for my platter! Often times they are served with bread or breadsticks...I made cheese sticks! :)

This recipe is healthy, fulfilling, and just really flavorful.

Antipasto Platter with Cheese Sticks:

I had a variety of veggies on my plate:

- Roasted Portabella Mushrooms

- Roasted Butternut Squash

- Roasted Baby Zucchinis

- Roasted Red and Yellow Peppers (from a jar)

- Baby Heirloom Tomatoes sliced

- Wild arugula

What really made this special was the Burrata cheese. Its this amazing cheese whose outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside is mozzarella and cream. It creates an amazing texture and tastes fresh, salty, and delicious!

I used basil oil and garlic oil that I got as a gift to coat the veggies before I roasted them at 400º for about 25 minutes (depending on the thickness you cut them).

I also seasoned them with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

I drizzled more basil oil all over the entire platter after it was assembled and seasoned the tomatoes and wild arugula with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. I garnished the plate with some chopped parsley as well. :)

I followed this recipe for the cheese sticks or "cheese straws" as Ina Garten calls them. I had some trouble forming the twists and keeping the cheese on the pastry dough but overall I think they turned out really tasty.

I rolled the puff pastry dough out into a thinner sheet. Then, I brushed melted Tuscan Butter on the entire sheet. After I sprinkled grated parmesan and a 5 cheese blend evenly on the entire sheet, I used the rolling pin to press in the cheese and flavors from the melted butter.

After using a floured knife to cut strips I twisted them on the greased cookie sheet. Instead of using two twisted together I used one. In the recipe she says to combine two strips to create a twist. I wanted more breadsticks! So, I only twisted each strand individually.

Buon Appetito! Enjoy!!