tapas | Annie's Kitchen Therapy

We’ve been into little dishes lately. Usually meatballs are reserved for Sunday sauce but this week we turned them into an appetizer. For this batch I used a mix of ground beef and ground pork (you could also use veal or ground chicken or turkey). I seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and fresh minced mint. For the binder I used an egg and panko bread crumbs. (I would advise you to add some fresh grated parmesan cheese…which I can’t do because SOMEONE doesn’t eat cheese…)

I baked these babies in the over at 350 for about 30 minutes and served with a side of spicy mayo. They smelled great and the pop of mint was amazing.

Sometimes you just don’t need a big meal. Tapas, mezze, antipasto, appetizers, whatever you call it, it’s fun to make and to share.

Last night we plated up some mortadella, prosciutto, gouda, homemade pickles, pepperoncini and fresh bruschetta.

Add a nice crusty baguette or warmed pita bread and you’re all set!

(And the wine, don’t forget the wine!)

Pro-tip: The bruschetta is super easy to pull together. I dice up some really ripe plum or san marzano tomatoes (if I can find them), add minced garlic and diced red onion to taste and season with kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and a little dried oregano. Let it marry for about an hour in the fridge. Meanwhile, cut the baguette into 1/2 inch slices and brush one side with a little EVOO. Then to toast – I toast only one one side, leaving the other side softer. I do this so the crouton doesn’t break into a million pieces when you take a bite of it. When cooled top (the toasted side) with about 1 teaspoon of tomato mixture, plate and serve!