By Francine Segan (Zester Daily) –

For simple holiday entertaining, take a cue from Italy and select a few quality ingredients that are wonderful alone, but that can dress up for any party. Three Italian classics — Grana Padano aged cheese, Prosciutto di San Daniele and Mortadella Bologna — can create dozens of delectable nibbles.

Entertaining gluten-free

Wrap a slice of succulent prosciutto around veggies for elegant Italian umami "sushi." Credit: Courtesy of Mortadella Bologna IGP
Wrap a slice of succulent prosciutto around veggies for elegant Italian umami “sushi.” Credit: Courtesy of Mortadella Bologna IGP

Thinly slice prosciutto or Mortadella Bologna and serve on a pretty wooden board. Set out wedges of Grana Padano with a cheese knife and clusters of grapes for simple, elegant party nibbles.

Wrap a slice of succulent prosciutto around veggies for Italian umami “sushi.” Try zucchini, carrots, enoki mushrooms, cucumber and avocado, which all pair wonderfully with prosciutto. Mortadella Bologna also makes a great roll-up. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios for color and crunch.

Fruit pair perfectly with cold cuts and cheese. Melon is a classic with prosciutto, so for a festive variation, dice cubes to create mini bites. Cantaloupe and honeydew melons make a pretty color mix.

Figs and fruits

Figs pair perfectly with cold cuts and cheese. Credit: Courtesy of "Philosopher’s Kitchen," Random House
Figs pair perfectly with cold cuts and cheese. Credit: Courtesy of “Philosopher’s Kitchen,” Random House

Figs too are a classic pairing, but fresh figs aren’t readily available during the holidays, so use dried instead. Simmer a dozen dried figs in a cup of white wine to make them soft and summer sweet.

Top with anything you like including prosciutto, chopped pistachios with honey and mascarpone cheese with a sprinkle of lemon zest.

Guests love a little skewer to nibble with a glass of bubbly Prosecco Superiore. Try Prosciutto di San Daniele and Grana Padano served with fried sage leaves and cubes of Mortadella Bologna accompanied by pistachio cream, made by blending finely ground pistachios with a little heavy cream and mascarpone or cream cheese. Fresh fruit like pears, apples and grapes pair perfectly with the naturally creamy sweetness of Grana Padano. It’s also wonderful with dried fruit. Spear chunks with olives and dried cranberries for a tangy-savory combo.

A toast to the party

Grana Padano lends itself to all sorts of bruschetta toppings. Melt onto bread to accompany Prosciutto di San Daniele or Mortadella Bologna, or for a vegetarian option top with chopped fresh or sun dried tomatoes or red bell peppers.

Mini sandwiches are always a party favorite. For an Italian riff — called “panettone gastronomico” — horizontally cut tall brioche bread into 7 equal slices to create 3 sandwich layers. Use your favorite filling, then stack and slice into triangles. The top section sits above as a decorative garnish.

Little baked pasta cups make a versatile appetizer. Just a quarter pound of pasta makes 24 bite-sized treats that can be eaten plain or topped. To make, combine cooked angel hair pasta with a beaten egg and some grated aged cheese. Twirl on a fork and bake into mini muffin tins until firm and golden at the edges. Then serve plain or topped with Prosciutto di San Daniele, Mortadella Bologna, shaved Grana Padano or pesto.

Melt grana padano cheese with prosciutto or mortadella for bruschetta toppings. Credit: Courtesy of Grama Padano DOP
Melt grana padano cheese with prosciutto or mortadella for bruschetta toppings. Credit: Courtesy of Grama Padano DOP

Everything Cheese Crisps

These cheese crisps are perfect to serve with cocktails, for garnishing soup or salad, or just as an afternoon snack. Credit: Copyright 2011 Quentin Bacon
These cheese crisps are perfect to serve with cocktails, for garnishing soup or salad, or just as an afternoon snack. Credit: Copyright 2011 Quentin Bacon

The usual bag of chips is OK for everyday, but dazzle party guests with these creative cheese crisps by cookbook author and PBS TV host Ellie Krieger who notes, “These easy, cheesy nibbles are a gigantic punch of Grana Padano flavor in a light lacy crisp. I brought in an extra touch of fun by flavoring them with all of the seasonings of my favorite “everything” bagel.”

Adapted from Comfort Food Fix, © 2011 by Ellie Krieger. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Bake time: 8 minutes

Total time: 18 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup finely grated Grana Padano cheese (2 ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
  • 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, flour, seeds, onion, and garlic powder. Spoon heaping teaspoons of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each mound. Using your fingers, pat the mounds down, spreading them so each is about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Bake until they are golden brown, about 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before lifting them off carefully. Make the crisps up to 2 days ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature.