Our best bite-sized recipes for the holiday season
Having a big party? You’ll need bite-sized appetizers!
Whether for an aperitif or a cocktail buffet, canapés, amuse-bouches, and other finger foods make the difference between a simple meal and a full-on holiday party. From hot dips to smoked salmon pizza canapés, without forgetting our simplified stuffed olives, we’ve rounded up our best holiday bites.
Baked Camembert With Figs and Balsamic Vinegar
The perfect starter for a relaxed evening of hosting. As an aperitif or starter, all you need is five ingredients and no dishes! The balsamic vinegar enhances the figs, while the rosemary adds a fragrant touch.
Ricotta, Hazelnut and Truffle Honey Crostini
The art of aperitivo is learned, but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated or time consuming. These canapés will impress your guests and have them like bees to a honeypot. Crunchy and creamy, sweet and salty, it has it all and then some.
Shrimp and Smoked Salmon Cocktail
Our shrimp and smoked salmon cocktail is retro in the best way possible. A fresh and colourful dish that is sophisticated enough for any big celebration, but totally and utterly uncomplicated, meaning you can spend more time with your guests and less time fretting in the kitchen! It’s fresh, tasty, beautiful—10/10!
The art of making something good taste even better. Elevate our ricotta and spinach frozen pizza with crème fraîche, smoked salmon, and lemon zest. With a good base, you’ll see how easy it is to improve a recipe — sceptics get ready to be proven wrong.
The perfect appetizer for small hands and small hungers. You tell us which is easier: making them or devouring them. These sliders are guaranteed fun, just make sure you have enough!
Prawn and Sausage Skewers With Gremolata
Surf and turf as an hors d’oeuvre for your next friendly get together. These skewers also make a great starter for a more formal evening. Don’t forget the gremolata!
This hot dip is the solution to hosting, while keeping it simple and not serving the same cold dips or cold cuts. All you have to do is mix it up and put it in the oven. As simple as that and even better than you think.
Salsa rosa is a bit like ketchup mixed with mayo or Thousand Island dressing, but the Italian version, all made from scratch, 15 minutes and you’re done. I love this recipe so much, I wanted to create my own version of it.
This is what your holiday table is missing: a fun appetizer that’s great to serve as soon as your guests arrive, to buy you some time if the rest isn’t quite ready.
Charcuterie Platter With Sgonfiotti
Have you tried sgonfiotti? These marvellous little stuffed pockets of fried dough come from Veneto and are usually flavoured with rich and fine spices, including the legendary saffron. It’s a new twist on the classic treats that will enhance your appetizer platters, especially those featuring Stefano charcuteries!
These crostones are traditionally served as an appetizer with a nice glass of vino cotto, or cooked wine. To make things a little easier, we went with a drizzle of our balsamic vinegar for that irresistible sweet and salty touch. And speaking of sweet, the fragrant and colourful persimmon—an essential Holiday fruit for most Italian families—rounds out these crunchy appetizers with a well-balanced sweetness.
Panettone Crostone With Gorgonzola and Truffle Honey
Panettone usually conjures up images of a sweet treat for dessert or breakfast. However, this famous brioche cake is also the perfect canvas for a wealth of refined holiday bites. In this recipe, we simply toast it, then top it with gorgonzola and truffle honey for a truly elegant finish. As you may have guessed, the options are virtually endless!
Name a more iconic party dish than mimosa eggs … go on, we’ll wait! We’ve come up with three Mediterranean-inspired variations for you to add some sunshine to your next gathering. Let us know if you can pick a favourite, because we can’t choose!
Baked Burrata and Arrabbiata Dip
We wanted to prepare burrata in a different way. This rich and creamy cheese is often served cold with fresh tomatoes; but we had the idea to serve it hot. A few minutes in the oven with our arrabbiata sauce, a drizzle of olive oil, a few basil leaves, and you’ll have the perfect aperitif dish. Serve with croutons and a nice glass of wine.
Ring, ring. The one-and-only supplì al telefono are calling! These supplì are usually served as an antipasto or appetizer because they’re a fun way to break bread with friends as you await the main dish. And speaking of your pals, be sure to make extra and freeze them so when company arrives unannounced, you’ll have something amazing to get the party started!
These fried stuffed olives will score you major points with your family and friends! Yes, you’ll need to free up a bit of time to prepare these goodies, but we’ve shortened the task for you with our ready-to-cook meatballs. Get ready, you’ll be asked to make these again and again.
There’s a lot of family history behind this recipe! This shrimp scampi is a delicious creation made by my mom’s brother, Uncle Rudy. This shrimp scampi recipe makes for a beautiful service in the traditional Feast of the seven fishes, but it can also hold its own as a main course when served with a risotto, pasta or polenta.
Oysters are unique, and not just because they have an incomparable delicate, briny flavour. They also have the rare characteristic of being both incredibly sophisticated AND incredibly simple. Just arrange a few oysters in their shells on a platter, and your guests will immediately know the party has started! To take your oyster game up a notch, we’ve got a great two-ingredient recipe for a tasty, traditional garnish that will only take you a few minutes (seconds?) to make. Now that’s how to show off!
Lupini and Olives With Negroni Dressing
Any lupini lovers in the house? This protein-packed legume is a staple of Italian aperitivo, often taking the spot of chips and nuts. Yes, it’s that good. In this recipe, we match them with their olive besties to create a snack that pays tribute to one of our all-time favourite cocktails: the mighty Negroni. We even add a touch of Campari! This simple, chic, and super fragrant snack is sure to get the party started.
Polenta Bruschetta Wth Zucchini Alla Scapece
Surprisingly versatile, roasted polenta strips make for a perfect crunchy (and gluten-free) canvas for a multitude of delicious toppings. This time, we’re reimagining the classic bruschetta by swapping the tomatoes for fine slices of fried zucchinis brightened with a vinegary mint and lemon dressing. The perfect touch for bringing a little sunshine to your winter get-togethers!
This classic warm dip from the mountainous region of Piedmont channels the vibrant flavours of anchovy and garlic (just like our old friend the Cesar salad), but wraps them in a soft, luscious, creamy texture. Rich, yet delicate. Crowd-pleasing, yet elegant. It’s the magic of Italy in a dip!
We know you know arancini, but today, we want to introduce you to pastarancini! Just like its famous fried risotto cousin, the pastarancini specialty is wonderfully yummy and crispy—but this time, it’s prepared with pasta rather than rice. We go for the very small varieties known as pastina in Italy, such as orzo or stelline. It’s the same delicious idea but made even easier.
Fried Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
Kids love getting hands-on in the kitchen, and our ready-to-cook meatballs make it super easy. Stuffed with cheese and fried to golden perfection, they turn into festive bites that kids will be proud to serve!
Calamari and Shrimp Fritto Misto
These hot and crispy bites of calamari and shrimp are great as appetizers or individual entrees. One thing is for sure: make plenty because it’s impossible to eat just one! Try them with some freshly squeezed lemon for an authentic Italian experience.
These little golden, crispy arancini are sure to wow your guests at any gathering. Prep them in advance and freeze for easy, delicious holiday entertaining!
Full disclosure: yes, this recipe takes time because the cod needs to soak for up to 3 days, so think prepare ahead of time. But rest assured, your patience will be worthwhile — after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day! This famous northern Italian antipasto bursts with flavour that’ll be sure to start your holiday festivities right.
