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Home » Recipes » Appetizer

October 6, 2022

Italian Charcuterie Platter

Published October 6, 2022 | Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

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Give your charcuterie board an Italian twist. Deeply savoury prosciutto slices, topped with pesto, fig jam and toasted almonds guarantee to impress!

Add our mushroom crostini to the mix if you are hosting a party!

top down view of Parma ham topped with pesto, fig jam and almonds

Holiday season is just around the corner. And I believe the key to stress-free entertaining is having a variety of no-cook recipes up one’s sleeve. 

Charcuterie boards have become incredibly popular in recent years. And you might feel like you don’t need any more ideas of how to arrange your salami in an artful way. I couldn’t agree more!

That is why this platter is different but along the same lines. It looks incredible and you don’t have to cook a thing!

The idea came to me on our recent trip to Italy. We were served a platter of beef carpaccio, dotted with kale pesto, fig preserves and toasted almonds all over. Needless to say, I was smitten. So simple yet so full of flavour!

While I won’t press you to venture out into serving a platter of thinly sliced raw beef at home, I thought Parma ham aka prosciutto di Parma is a perfect substitute. 

close up of Italian charcuterie board

Italian Charcuterie 

After seeing hundreds of charcuterie board ideas online, many of them had zero charcuterie involved, I feel like something needs to be made clear.

“Charcuterie” is a French word for cured meat. That’s it. No cheese, nuts or pretzels have any place on real charcuterie platters. “Dessert or breakfast charcuterie boards” are an abomination. 

Now that I got it off my chest, let’s move on. I’ve used only prosciutto slices for my platter but you can also use salami, mortadella or bresaola, which will look gorgeous and taste delicious!

I’ve also used homemade Tuscan kale pesto as that’s what I had in Italy but you can use basil pesto or any other flavoured pesto you love.

There is also fig jam involved, the sweetness of which brings such a lovely contrast to the intense savoury flavour of prosciutto. I can also see mango or caramelised onion chutney doing the same thing beautifully. 

The real star, which was completely unexpected to me, is sliced almonds. The crunch and flavour they bring make the whole dish sing!

To finish it off, I grated a bit of Pecorino Romano cheese. You can skip it or use Parmesan cheese. 

top down view of prosciutto platter topped with dollops of pesto, jam and almonds

Serving Suggestions

Traditionally these type of platters are served with breadsticks, called grissini, in Italy as well as with sliced bread like focaccia. Whenever I serve a platter like this one, I always add sliced sourdough bread and various crackers. 

I also set out two small bowls with extra virgin olive oil and good quality balsamic vinegar for dipping. And just like that you’ve got a perfect starter with no cooking at all!

Favourite Starter (Appetiser) Recipes:

  • Mixed Olive Tapenade
  • Party Crostini 4 Ways
  • Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto
  • Padron Peppers (Traditional Spanish Tapas)
top down view of Parma ham topped with pesto, fig jam and almonds

Italian Charcuterie Platter

Julia Frey of Vikalinka
Give your charcuterie board an Italian twist. Prosciutto slices, topped with pesto, fig jam and toasted almonds guarantee to impress!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 7 mins
Cook Time 2 mins
Course Appetiser
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 94 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 slices prosciutto
  • 6 tsp fig jam
  • 3 tbsp kale pesto or any other pesto
  • 3 tbsp sliced almonds toasted
  • 1 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan

Instructions
 

  • Toast the slices almonds on a dry pan for a couple of minutes. Watch carefully, so they don't burn. Remove from the pan immediately or they will keep cooking and let them cool.
  • Arrange prosciutto slices on a platter attractively. Don't worry if they tear, just drape them on the plate the best you can. They will still look beautiful. Dot the prosciutto slices with spoonfuls of fig jam and pesto. Then sprinkle with the toasted almonds and grated Pecorino or Parmesan. Serve with breadsticks, crackers or crusty bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 94kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 115mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 119IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword charcuterie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.
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Julia from Vikalinka

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.

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