Colours of Italy - Antipasto pyramid with rocket salad
* This post is part of the Royal Selangor Jellyriffic Competition where ten bloggers from around the world compete by posting recipes each day for 30 days in the month of October 2011 to raise awareness and support for breast cancer. *
UPDATE:
Follow our progress and download our recipes in the “Cuisines of the World” by clicking the image below:
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Antipasto is a slow and delectable graze to enjoy the true essence of Italian cuisine.
In summer, we happily fill our picnic baskets with roasted vegetables, olives, prosciutto, ham, roast beef , fresh fruits, wine and a variety of cheeses before heading down to the beach for a day of fun and frolic with the family.
This antipasto is designed as an entree for the fusilli bolognaise that we have submitted as a main course for this competition.
Mysaucepan and I love ricotta cheese and as we progress through this competition, we have found that our initial “fears” about the constraint of using the mould has actually pushed us to think outside the pyramid (no pun intended). We have designed the 30-day challenge to come up with innovative and useful recipes that is easy for our readers to cook and enjoy.
The Royal Selangor jelly mould has challenged our thinking about food culture and has given us new ideas and inspiration to create new recipes to challenge traditional norms.
For such a long time, antipasto has been a rather stale and old world plate of cheese, cold meats and olives in many restaurants around the world.
Today, we are excited to present you with a traditional Italian starter that takes on a fresh new look with the vibrant colours of Italy:
Colours of Italy - Antipasto pyramid with rocket salad
Day 7: Entree – Antipasto pyramid with rocket salad
1 zucchini Method 1. Slice zucchini, red capsicum and eggplant into thin strips.
Ingredients
1 red capsicum
1 eggplant
4 – 5 tablespoon of ricotta cheese
Loose rocket leaves
3 – 4 grape tomatoes
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on vegetable and sprinkle some sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
3. Grill vegetables until it is slightly charred then set aside and let cool.
4. Line the inside of the Royal Selangor jelly mould with cling wrap and wrap the inside of the mould with the vegetables, leaving room in the middle of the mould.
5. Stuff the ricotta cheese into the middle of the mould until full
6. Stand the mould in the fridge to chill for a bout 5 – 6 hours until the contents are firm.
7. Remove contents from the mould and serve with fresh rocket leaves with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
We have made countless antipasti at home and ordered it many times in restaurants.
Soft creamy ricotta, roasted vegetable and rocket salad
But today, every mouthful tasted better than the one before. The soft creamy texture of the ricotta is a match in heaven with the smoky flavours and aromas of the roasted capsicum, eggplant and zucchini.
Colours of Italy - Roasted red capsicum, ricotta and green rocket leaves
Again, we hope you will try this recipe because the only cooking required was to drizzle some extra virgin olive oil onto the cut vegetables to be roasted.
Colours of Italy - Antipasto pyramid with rocket salad
For this recipe, we have chosen to used Red Island Australia EVOO because they have a good range of quality products. In addition, this company is a Gold Partner with the National Breast Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Red island extra virgin olive oil (Gold Partner of the National Breast Cancer Foundation of Australia)
So dear readers, what is your favourite Italian food?
*Note to readers: You can support and help raise the awareness of breast cancer by the following ways:
- Share our recipes with family and friends on Facebook or Twitter.
- Like chopinandmysaucepan on Facebook.
- Follow chopinandmysaucepan on Twitter.
- Suggest to us any recipe, jelly or otherwise that you may like us to cook using the mould. Recipes do not necessarily need to incorporate gelatin and participants are encouraged to be as creative as possible. We need all the help we can get and would welcome any creative ideas and recipes from our readers.
- Purchase a jelly mould from Royal Selangor. Remember, all sales proceeds will go towards improving the lives of women affected by breast cancer.
Win an Olympus VG-110 camera
To encourage readers to support the cause for breast cancer awareness, we will give away an Olympus VG-110 camera to one lucky reader.
All you have to do over the next thirty days is to provide your comments, feedback, suggestions or any recipes and you will be in the running to receive this camera. This prize is open to any and all readers.
If you enjoy our daily posts throughout October 2011, do consider helping the cause for breast cancer by participating in any or all the the ways mentioned above.
We wish you good health and happy cooking!
Chopinand & Mysaucepan
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Check out Redisland’s product range, recipes and olive oils by visiting their website:www.redisland.com
Redisland Australia Limited
31 Lakewood Boulevard
Braeside, Victoria 3195
Australia
Australian Customer service line: 1300 765 901
Tel: +61 3 8587 1400
I’m just curious how this will taste …..and I just love your clicks!
Hi Cheah,
The important thing about this dish is to grill the capsicum, eggplant and zucchini until they are slightly charred. The smoky flavours of the vegetables are a treat against the soft creamy ricotta. And the salad is a bonus!
Great look! And stuffing the cheese into the mold with the roasted veggies on the outer edges- inspired! I like the simplicity!
Seriously, you are churning these out faster than I can read! Another gorgeous dish.
Hi leaf,
It’s not a matter of choice! We have to come up with one recipe a day throughout October for this competition.
this is nice, i love it!
Another beautiful creation! What a dedication to create 30 dishes in 30 days by using that cone mould. Bravo!
Very nice looking antipasto! Really making me hungry!
I absolutely love this antipasto! I wonder if we can make it without mold… it’s so pretty!
Scrumdiddlyumptious for sure! However, am I the only one who reads “for breast cancer awareness” and then looks at your photos and *doesn’t* think “pyramid”? 😉
awesome looking antipasto! love the rocket and tomato decoration!
I really love this savoury version using the jelly mold! 😀 And I tried that olive oil the other week!
Wow, just catching up on these posts now – SO creative, lady! Love it!!
Heiidi xo
GAH! clearly I didn’t mean to write lady, mind not working haha.
Heidi xo
That’s fine Heidi, Mysaucepan had lots to do with this particular entry too!
This looks divine. You can tell you made this with great care and the best ingredients.
You’ve really sexed up boring antipasto for sure!
A picnic with antipasto and a good bottle of wine is one of my favourite pastimes too. I usually go to Centennial Park though as I don’t like sand in my food!
A wonderful Italian cone-shaped flag! I would be tempted to make it with individual small round moulds and I’m sure I would impress every guest.
With your lovely presentation this is definitely a beautiful dish
Im obsessed with antipasto so this ones a def winner. Can the mould be baked or is it a thin metal? You could totally do a baked ricotta….mmmm
I’m enjoying reading new recipes each day! They all look delicious (and so different even though they all bear the same shape), but this one in particular appeals to my tastebuds. I love ricotta and I love roasted vegs – never thought to combine them
Haaaaa, this is so cool with the veggies wrapped around it! 😀
ooh delish look at that ricotta! definitely my kinda salad
I’ve really loved your unique angle on this comp! Another fresh, yummy looking plate!