Easy Italian Appetizers

Today’s theme is Italian-style appetizers, all easy, all prepared in advance, all kept ready in the fridge for last-minute aperitivi on the terrazza, er, cold brews on the back patio.

Real Food, Fresh & Seasonal. Pretty on a Plate. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Weight Watchers Friendly. Low Carb. Low Cal. Vegetarian. Great for Meal Prep.

~ Skip Straight to the Recipes ~
~ Red Pepper Crostini ~
~ Olivada & Olivada Appetizers ~
~ Parmesan Crisps ~

Not One, Not Two But Three Easy Recipes!

Red Pepper Crostini, just soft bits of onion and bell pepper on crisp homemade toasts called "crostini".

Olivada is a luscious olive paste. It's similar to the olive tapenade found in an olive bar but is anchovy-free. For a delicious, dramatic looking Olivada Appetizer, just spread a little olivada on a thin slice of a fresh baguette, top with a sliver of mozzarella or another soft, mellow cheese and a few bits of pimento or roasted pepper that's been patted dry.

This has been a "signature appetizer" for so many years! It's slightly fussy and must be assembled at the last minute so I use it only for small groups but people gobble these up!

Parmesan Crisps are so simple, just piles of grated parmesan baked in the oven, they magically turn into a parmesan "cracker".

So Pretty! One Bite At a Time!

But enough chatter. People will be here in an hour!

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RED PEPPER CROSTINI

Makes about 1 cup Red Pepper Mixture
Active time: 10 minutes for peppers, 5 minutes for bread
Occasional attention: 20 minutes for peppers, 15 minutes for bread

RED PEPPER MIXTURE
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced in 1” lengths
• 2 red peppers (not yellow, not orange), cut in thin 1” lengths
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon capers (or more)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

CROSTINI
• 1 loaf crusty bread, about 2 inches in diameter (or larger if small loaf not available)

TO SERVE
• Cream cheese, low-fat Neufchatel works great
• Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

PEPPER MIXTURE Heat a large skillet. Sauté the onion in olive oil until onion is soft. Add the pepper strips and sauté until soft, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, capers and balsamic vinegar and simmer gently until liquid is reduced. Season with salt and pepper. Makes about 2-1/4 cups. Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve.

CROSTINI Meanwhile, slice the loaf 1/4-inch thick, then again (if needed) to make pieces two or three bites big. Mist both sides with olive oil and place on baking sheet. Bake 350F/175C until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes, turning once. Let cool and transfer to freezer bag. If making ahead of time, store in the freezer until ready to serve. I get 36 thin slices from a demi French loaf from Trader Joe's.

TO SERVE To serve, spread the Crostini with cream cheese, then top with a little red pepper mixture and a parsley leaf. Serve within an hour.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (assumes 6.5g bread, 1/2 tablespoon Red Pepper Mixture, 1 teaspoon low-fat cream cheese): 43 Calories; 2g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 5g Carb; 0g Fiber; 73mg Sodium; 4mg Cholesterol; 1g Sugars; 2g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 1 & PointsPlus 1 & SmartPoints 2 & Freestyle 1 & myWW green 1 & blue 1 & purple 1

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OLIVADA & OLIVADA APPETIZERS

To make the olivada, pulse 2 garlic cloves in a food processor until very fine. Add a 12-ounce jar of good-quality Kalamata or nicoise pitted black olives (drained, obviously!) and 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (walnuts and sesame seeds work too). Pulse two or three times. Then, while still pulsing, slowly drizzle up to 3 tablespoons olive oil slowly into the food processor until a paste forms. You'll pulse more often for a smooth paste and less for one where the olive meat remains identifiable – this is my preference. Makes 1-1/3 cups.

Once you make Olivada, it's easy to throw together one of my forever-favorite appetizers, just a sliver of soft crusty bread topped with a smear of Olivada, a thin bit of cheese and a bit of roasted pepper. That's it, so pretty!

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Olivada Only Per Tablespoon: 85 Calories; 9g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 185mg Sodium; 2g Carb; 0g Fiber; 0g Sugar; 2g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 2 & PointsPlus 2 & SmartPoints 3 & Freestyle 3 & myWW green 3 & blue 3 & purple 3

Olivada Appetizer Per Appetizer: 78 Calories; 6g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 2mg Cholesterol; 159mg Sodium; 5g Carb; 1g Fiber; 0g Sugar; 2g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 2 & PointsPlus 2 & SmartPoints 2 & Freestyle 2 & myWW green 2 & blue 2 & purple 2

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PARMESAN CRISPS

For each crisp, place a heaping tablespoon of freshly grated Parmesan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about a dozen per sheet. Shape into a rough round. Bake at 500F/260C for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and top with a few blades of chopped chive. Return to the oven for another minute or until deep gold in color. Let cool for 2 minutes, then use a metal spatula to transfer to a rack to cool.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Crisp: 21 Calories; 1g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 4mg Cholesterol; 76mg Sodium; 0g Carb; 0g Fiber; 0g Sugar; 2g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 1 & PointsPlus 1 & SmartPoints 1 & Freestyle 1 & myWW green 1 & blue 1 & purple 1

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More Easy Appetizer Recipes

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~ more appetizer recipes ~

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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