This artisanal round European style Italian bread sets the stage for our third and final bread board of this series. What better way to complement this hearth style bread than with a variety of Italian meats and cheeses. We love to start with a slice of this delicious crusty yet soft bread and add on some cold artichoke spread before layering it with endless combinations of the meats and cheeses. The best choice of cheese for layering is the sliced provolone as both the semi-hard Grano Padano and the soft mozzarella are bite sized. Grano Padano is a cheese that is very similar to Parmigiano Reggiano and it pairs especially well with the prosciutto. Nestled in between are some sweet roasted red peppers and thinly sliced green pears each adding a pop of color and flavor. For a sweet ending, indulge in an unique “dessert” of powdered sugar covered dates. You can comfortably serve this board for dinner (5-7 people) or put out as an appetizer (7-10 people). Equally tasty, though not pictured (it didn’t fit on the board!), is a flavorful dipping oil with garlic and dried herbs. We’ve included the recipe below. The oil works great plain with a slice of the bread, paired with the meats, or drizzled over the cherry-sized mozzarella.

Mini-Series: 3 Summer Bread Boards – (#3)

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• Author: sgauley
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6–8 people 1x

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Ingredients

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• 1 large round loaf European style Italian bread 
• Meats: 
  • 2 ounces dried coppa 
  • 2 ounces Italian dried salami 
  • 2 ounces prosciutto 
  • 4 ounces mortadella with pistachios
• Cheeses:
  • 8 ounces Grano Padano
  • 4 ounces sliced provolone 
  • 8 ounces mozzarella (cherry-sized) 
• Roasted red pepper 
• Cold artichoke spread
  • 14 ounce can artichoke hearts in water, drained 
  • 2 ounces gorgonzola cheese
  • 2.5 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 small clove garlic
• 2 green pears
• 4 ounces dates, pitted
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 

 

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Instructions

1. Center the loaf of bread on the board (pre-sliced)
2. Arrange the meats and cheese directly on the board around the bread.
3. **Can roast the red pepper over direct medium-low flame after coating in 1 tablespoon olive oil for about 3 minutes a side. Let cool, remove seeds, slice, and put onto a small serving plate. You can also purchase a jar of roasted red peppers. Arrange on the board on a small plate.
4. Place all ingredients (artichokes, gorgonzola cheese, cream cheese, garlic) for the artichoke spread in a blender and blend on high until creamy. (1 minute) Arrange on the board in a small bowl.
5. Thinly slice the pear and arrange on the board on a small serving plate.
6. Coat the dates in powdered sugar and arrange on the board.

See the photo above for arranging inspiration. 🙂

Optional Dipping Oil

1. Please 1/4 cup olive oil in a small bowl and whisk in 1 small clove freshly grated garlic. 
2. Mix with 1/4 teaspoon of dried parsley, oregano, and basil. 
3. Finish by adding in 1 teaspoon freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano.  

 

 

• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Category: Appetizer