Trio of antipasti

Crunchy polenta chips, creamy burrata with confit fennel, and bold ’nduja bruschetta together on one generous platter. Warm, salty, silky and crisp all at once, it turns a simple starter into a relaxed, sociable Italian feast everyone can dive into.

Prep: over 2 hours

Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour

Serves: Serves 4

Dietary: Egg-free, pregnancy-friendly

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes

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This trio of antipasti is an indulgent Italian starter with crispy fried polenta chips, rich burrata, and hearty ’nduja bruschetta, so it naturally sits towards the more energy-dense end of the Nutri-Score scale. Expect a relatively high calorie count per portion from the deep-fried polenta, cheese and olive oil, along with notable saturated fat and salt. On the positive side, there is some fibre from the cavolo nero, ciabatta and polenta, plus a little protein from the Parmesan, burrata, ricotta and pine nuts. Treat this antipasti platter as a generous sharing starter or light main, and balance it with lighter dishes and plenty of salad through the rest of the day.

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Equipment

• Baking dish
• Large saucepan
• Whisk
• Deep fat fryer
• Slotted spoon
• Blender 🛒 Check out Amazon’s Choice
• Fine sieve
• Small saucepan
• Frying pan
• Chopping board
• Sharp knife 🛒 Check out Amazon’s Choice
• Mixing bowl 🛒 Check out Amazon’s Choice
• Tongs
• Grill or griddle pan
• Serving platter

Method

1. Line the dish for the polenta so you are ready to chill it later. Lightly grease a baking dish with vegetable oil, then line it neatly with cling film, pressing it into the corners so the polenta will sit in an even layer.
2. Cook the polenta base for your polenta chips. Pour the stock into a large saucepan, add the rosemary sprig and Parmesan rind, and bring it up to a gentle simmer. Sprinkle in the quick-cook polenta while whisking steadily so it stays smooth, then cook for about 5 minutes until thick and bubbling.
3. Finish and chill the polenta so it can firm up. Fish out the rosemary and rind, stir in the grated Parmesan until it melts, then scrape the polenta into the lined baking dish. Smooth the top, leave it to cool, then chill in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight if that suits your schedule.
4. Preheat the fryer safely for cooking the chips later. When you are nearly ready to serve, heat the deep fat fryer to 180C, keeping an eye on it and never leaving hot oil unattended.
5. Coat and fry the polenta chips to get them crisp outside and soft inside. Break or cut the chilled polenta into chunky pieces. Pour the milk into one wide bowl and the fine polenta into another. Dip each piece in milk, roll it in the fine polenta, then deep fry in batches until golden and crisp. Lift out onto kitchen paper to drain and keep warm.
6. Blend the basil oil for the burrata while the polenta chills or fries. Put the basil leaves and vegetable oil into a blender and blitz until smooth and bright green, then strain through a fine sieve into a small jug and set aside.
7. Confit the fennel gently so it turns tender and sweet. Place the whole fennel bulb and bay leaf in a small saucepan and pour in enough oil to cover the fennel. Warm over a low heat for about 45 minutes until the fennel is soft but still holds its shape, then lift it out to cool slightly.
8. Toast the garlicky crumbs for a crunchy topping. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Tip in the sourdough breadcrumbs and stir until they turn golden and toasted, then mix through the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
9. Assemble the burrata antipasti just before serving so it looks fresh. Place the whole burrata on a serving plate, slice or wedge the confit fennel and arrange it over the top. Spoon on the crunchy breadcrumbs, scatter with toasted pine nuts and finish with a generous drizzle of basil oil.
10. Toast the ciabatta for bruschetta while the fennel is cooking or resting. Preheat a grill or griddle pan until hot, then toast the ciabatta pieces cut-side down until they are crisp and lightly charred.
11. Rub and oil the toast to build flavour. Once the bread is cool enough to handle, rub the cut sides with the half garlic clove so it picks up that gentle garlic perfume, then drizzle with about half of the olive oil.
12. Cook the cavolo nero topping in the same pan you used for the crumbs if you like. Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan, fry the sliced garlic for 1–2 minutes, then add the cavolo nero. Cook, stirring, until the leaves are wilted and glossy but still have a bit of bite.
13. Finish the bruschetta antipasti so it is ready to hit the table. Spread a layer of ’nduja over each slice of toasted ciabatta, spoon the garlicky cavolo nero on top, crumble over the ricotta and sprinkle with dried chilli flakes for a gentle kick.
14. Serve the trio of antipasti family style in the centre of the table. Pile the polenta chips onto a warm plate, set the burrata platter alongside, arrange the bruschetta on a board, and let everyone help themselves to their favourite Italian antipasti bites.