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  3. Our 13 Best Italian Appetizers

Our 13 Best Italian Appetizers

By Food & Wine Updated January 07, 2021
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Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
Credit: Greg Dupree

Flaky, cheesy focaccia. Chickpea bruschetta. Emilian spinach and cheese pie. These Italian appetizers are a great way to start off your meal, whether you're looking for something simple and summery, or a fall-ready starter like crispy frico cups with polenta and brown butter. Read on for those dishes, and even more Italian appetizer recipes. 

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Arancini with Peas and Mozzarella

201208-HD-arancini-with-peas-and-mozzarella-201208-r-arancini-with-peas-and-mozzarella.jpg
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Grace Parisi's Calabrian grandmother always used plain white rice to make her incredible arancini (rice balls), but Parisi prefers to cook with plump arborio to make the insides creamier.

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Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Pancetta

Red, White and Blue Food for Fourth of July
Credit: JOHNNY MILLER
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Peak-season tomatoes make all the difference in this simple bruschetta from author Susan Spungen. They're the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup or a large salad, or, to turn them into two-bite hors d'oeuvres, simply cut the bruschetta crosswise into strips.

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Fresh Mozzarella

Fresh Mozzarella
Credit: © Tara Fisher
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Warm, tender, milky mozzarella is easier to make than you might think. Plus it takes just 20 minutes.

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Antipasto Salad with Bocconcini and Green-Olive Tapenade

Antipasto Salad with Bocconcini and Green-Olive Tapenade
Credit: © Greg DuPree
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Shredded iceberg lettuce serves as the crunchy base for a salad made with creamy little mozzarella balls (bocconcini), Genoa salami, peperoncini, and green olives.

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Michael Symon's Arancini

Michael Symon's Arancini
Credit: © Abby Hocking
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Arancini, the crispy-on-the-outside and cheesy-on-the-inside fried rice balls, are the ultimate cocktail hour snack. Star chef Michael Symon makes his risotto the day ahead for easy prep and then breads the mozzarella-filled balls just moments before frying to get that perfect, crunchy crust.

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Crispy Frico Cups with Polenta and Brown Butter

Crispy Frico Cups with Polenta and Brown Butter
Credit: © Cedric Angeles
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Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson molds traditional Italian frico (cheese crisps) into cups, then fills the salty, crunchy bowls with creamy, warm polenta and nutty brown butter. The frico cups soften as the polenta sits in them, so serve right away, with a fork and knife.

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Herbed Chickpea Bruschetta

Herbed Chickpea Bruschetta
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The key to these delicious bruschetta from chef Nancy Silverton is lots of olive oil. After she bakes the chickpeas with a variety of flavorings—including onions, pancetta and carrots—she purees them with a good amount of oil, spreads the puree on toasts and drizzles with a little more oil.

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Roasted Eggplant Caponata

Roasted Eggplant Caponata
Credit: © Guy Ambrosino
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If you have the time, make the caponata at least a day ahead; it's one of those dishes that improves as it rests. Eat it as they do in Sicily: spooned over bread or focaccia, alongside roast lamb or chicken, paired with a wedge of pecorino…in short, with almost anything!

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Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives

Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives Recipe
Credit: Victor Protasio
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Buttery, mild Castelvetrano olives add just enough salt and tang to these fried sausage snacks that pair beautifully with a crisp martini or chilled glass of wine. Use a high-quality Italian sausage for the best texture and flavor.

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Focaccia col Formaggio

focaccia-col-formaggio-2-ft-recipe0819.jpg
Credit: Greg Dupree
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This snack, also known as focaccia di Recco, is a crisp, flaky, cheese-filled Italian bread, perfect for snacking on at any time of day. 

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Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Prosciutto and Mozzarella

Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
Credit: Greg Dupree
Get the Recipe

Zucchini blossoms can be ordered online, and are seasonally available at farmers' markets. Prosciutto cotto and Parisian ham should be available at a well-stocked grocery store with a cheese counter; substitute cooked ham, if needed.

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Erbazzone Reggiano (Emilian Spinach and Cheese Pie)

Erbazzone Reggiano Recipe
Credit: Cedric Angeles
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Flavorful and filling with a light, almost cracker-like crust, this rustic spinach pie relies on simple ingredients for an impressive finish. Because the spinach gently steams within the crust, it retains its fresh, verdant flavor even after cooking.

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Mushroom and Fontina Crostini

Mushroom and Fontina Crostini
Credit: © Fredrika Stjärne
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Maria Helm Sinskey likes to use Italian Fontina cheese, which melts beautifully, but young Gouda would be equally delicious.

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    1 of 13 Arancini with Peas and Mozzarella
    2 of 13 Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Bruschetta with Pancetta
    3 of 13 Fresh Mozzarella
    4 of 13 Antipasto Salad with Bocconcini and Green-Olive Tapenade
    5 of 13 Michael Symon's Arancini
    6 of 13 Crispy Frico Cups with Polenta and Brown Butter
    7 of 13 Herbed Chickpea Bruschetta
    8 of 13 Roasted Eggplant Caponata
    9 of 13 Sausage-Stuffed Fried Olives
    10 of 13 Focaccia col Formaggio
    11 of 13 Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
    12 of 13 Erbazzone Reggiano (Emilian Spinach and Cheese Pie)
    13 of 13 Mushroom and Fontina Crostini

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