Making a simple charcuterie board to serve your guests is quite easy if you keep it simple. Find a few items in your local market or grocery store and put them together on a platter. This eye-catching appetizer will greet your guests with its tempting array of cheeses, cold cuts, fruit and crackers.
For a lovely presentation, use a pretty platter or wooden bread board. You can also line it with fresh grape or fig leaves before assembling the ingredients.
To assemble this charcuterie board, follow the numbers 1-6 below. The items are arranged on a triangle pattern. Here we go……
- Pick 3 types of cheese and lay it in the center of the platter (or bread board) in a triangle pattern. Soft creamy brie, fontina, cheddar, Parma, and blue cheese such as Cambazola or Gorgonzola are good examples. Depending on your taste, remember to pick cheeses that you love.
- Add nuts and olives in small bowls. I love roasted cashews, mixed nuts and pistachios. For the olives, I suggest Italian Calvestetrano olives which are bright green and delicious. Place the three bowls next to the cheeses.
- Use seasonal fruit like grapes, figs, pomegranate, mandarins and persimmons. Avoid fruit that will oxidize and turn brown like apples and pears.
- Add 3 types of crackers that will go well with the cheeses. Arrange the crackers next to the cheese and nuts. You can add small slices of baguette if you prefer.
- Tuck in one or two cold cuts like prosciutto, cappacolo, salami, or mortadella.
- Garnish with fresh herbs such as rosemary, parsley or coriander.
There you go, was that easy or what? Remember to just use the triangle pattern for each item and be creative. You can use different things depending on the season. Now all you need is wine.
How to Make a Simple Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 3 assorted crackers 12 pcs. of each kind
- 2 persimmons sliced crosswise
- 1 lb. bunch of grapes
- ½ lb French ham or prosciutto
- ½ lb mortadella or salami
- ½ lb roasted pistachios
- ½ lb roasted assorted nuts
- 3 wedges cheese like brie, fontina, gorgonzola
- 4-5 sprigs of fresh herbs
- ½ lb. Calvestetrano olives
Instructions
- In a big platter start placing the 3 cheeses in the center in a triangle pattern.
- Add the 3 small bowls of nuts and olives next to the cheeses.
- Add a bunch of grapes in the center, and the sliced persimmons next to the nuts.
- Place 3 types of crackers to the other side of the cheeses.
- Tuck in 2 types of cold cuts around the grapes in the center.
- Garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary on top. Other herbs such as parsley or coriander can be substituted.