Create an Italian-Inspired Antipasto Board for Summer Entertaining

Summer entertaining season is here, and if you're like me, you like to keep hosting quick and easy! A sprawling and colorful board full of Italian fare from Harry & David is my go-to for hosting stress-free summer gatherings or backyard vacations.

Antipasto, an Italian-style hors d'oeuvre, typically contains a variety of cured meats, cheeses, and vegetables. What makes this spread ideal for various crowds is that it can be scaled up to feed more or scaled down for a smaller gathering, depending on how many products you choose. With so many unique flavors to incorporate, most of this comes down to layering the items to showcase all the amazing products in an aesthetically pleasing way.

When building an awe-inspiring board or spread, start by layering the cheeses because their different sizes make a great focal point on the board. Fan the slices of salami around the cheeses to help further draw the eye to them. The next step is to add any dips you plan on serving, like my favorite red pepper and cheese spread, into small, individual bowls. Even when serving a crowd I think it looks nicer and saves space to add dips to small bowls and replenish them when they run out rather than using large serving bowls that can take too much attention from the other food on the board. Grouping the bowls in threes also helps create a more visually appealing board.

The dried fruit and nuts are smaller, so I use them to fill in the cracks between the ingredients and make the board look plentiful. The finishing touch is the crackers and breads, or what I refer to as the vehicles. They are best left arranged around the outside of the board because it makes it easier to grab them before spreading dips or cheeses on top. It keeps things cleaner and more organized. Don't forget to add small, empty bowls off to the side if serving anything with a pit!

Besides looking beautiful, serving boards like this are great for hosting because they can be assembled ahead of time if you have the space in your refrigerator. Simply wrap the completed board tightly with plastic wrap and either store it until 30 minutes before you're ready to serve the board or to transport it to another destination. If you're transporting the board assembled, I recommend wrapping the dip bowls or leaving them in their jars until just before serving to keep them from spilling.