Celebrate Australia’s delicious natural bounties with the ultimate Australian antipasto platter.
Grazing platters and antipasto boards are a great choice when entertaining over summer as they are so easy to prepare and serve.
Whether you need an impressive display for the beginning of a meal, a laid-back lunch, or the perfect picnic, an antipasto platter allows you to simply collect together the ingredients, lay them out on a board and sit back as you enjoy the company of friends and family around an abundant, edible centrepiece.
And of course macadamias add the perfect Australian touch to any antipasto platter.
Australian antipasto platter
Although the principles of easy entertaining are the same the world over, there are a few ways to put an Aussie spin on your antipasto platter and celebrate the bounty of Australia.
Here are some ideas:
- Whole macadamia nuts are the perfect flourish for an Australian antipasto platter, but you can up the antē by roasting and flavouring them with native Australian spices like wattleseed and lemon myrtle. Find out how here.
- Look for charcuterie items and cheeses made by local producers. A farmers market can be a great source of inspiration where you may find Australian grown olives, locally made cheese and artisan salami (like this kangaroo salami).
- Celebrate the season by using in season fruits and vegetables on your platter. Use cherries, figs and berries in summer or pear, apples and capsicum in the cooler months.
- The native Australian citrus finger lime, is an indulgent addition to any Aussie antipasto platter. Finger limes have zesty caviar like pearls that can accompany cheese, fruits or seafood.
- Include crackers flavoured with native Australian spices or make your own crackers from scratch. These macadamia and cheese crisps are so quick and easy to bake.
- Catering for a range of dietary requirements is the norm now. Including a nut-based cheese like this baked macadamia feta is a vegan dish that everyone will enjoy.
- Homemade dips with an Australian twist are a way to get creative. These three dip recipes, macadamia pesto, macadamia hummus and macadamia tapenade, are a delicious way to showcase Australian culture and flavours.
What else you put on an Australian antipasto platter is limited only by your imagination and personal tastes.
There are no hard and fast rules, but antipasto platters usually feature a combination of charcuterie, cheeses, dips, sliced or roasted vegetables, olives, nuts, fruits and pickles.
Assemble with care
How you lay out your Australian antipasto platter is entirely up to you. Elise from The Poor Girls Pantry in Byron Bay (famous for creating amazing grazing tables) gives some pointers in this Macadamia Masterclass.
But the whole point of an antipasto platter is that it is a laid back choice. So don’t stress too much about assembling it perfectly.
Instead, put your effort into choosing good quality local ingredients, then go with the flow. Relax and enjoy!
What are your tips for easy entertaining? What would you include on an Australian antipasto platter? Head over to our Facebook page and let us know!
