Recipe and image Fiona Hugues
Just the word antipasti for me instantly conjures up a bucolic scene of copious glasses of wine on a lazy afternoon with friends, and platters of bountiful tasty wee things to slowly devour. This salad is that very notion but in a bowl, packed full of all the things, and the bonus is you can shovel it in with a fork or spoon. I’ve photographed it here with crostini and without the chalices of booze, but who am I to stop you?
If it’s an occasion or you need to impress, dish out on decent large Spanish butter beans. They’re worth it I assure you and do make the world of difference. Buon appetito!
1 large garlic clove, crushed
red wine vinegar
flaked salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
drained cannellini beans (I prefer El Navarrico Judion from Spain, almost the whole 500g jar or just use a 400g tin of basic ones)
½ cup sundried tomatoes, torn
½ cup preserved artichokes, roughly chopped
½ cup roasted red peppers (I used the mildly spicy small bell ones for added heat)
handful of cherry tomatoes
1 cup Kalamata and green olives, pitted
1 courgette, shaved into ribbons
handful of fresh basil leaves
a shower of shaved pecorino or parmesan
small dollop of honey
In the bottom of a large bowl whisk together the garlic, vinegar and salt and pepper with a decent slosh of olive oil. Add the beans and toss to coat. Leave to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
Shave the courgette into ribbons and add to the beans and mix to marinate.
Add all the other ingredients, tearing or roughly chopping them into bite-sized pieces.
Mix with the marinated beans, taste, and season well. Place on a pretty platter and serve with crostini or crusty bread.