Italian Charcuterie Board with Caprese and Crostini

Italian Charcuterie Board

A long row of tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil sets this Italian-inspired charcuterie board apart. Balsamic glaze goes over the Caprese, with crisp crostini down the center and clusters of salami, prosciutto, cheeses, olives, and other accompaniments around the edges.

Use an 18–20-inch round board for 8–10 appetizer servings. With ready-to-serve crostini, assembly takes about 25 minutes and requires no cooking. Keep the wet ingredients contained and add the bread just before serving so it stays crisp.

Ingredients for an Italian Charcuterie Board

• 1 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced into thick rounds (about 450g)
• 3 medium to large ripe but firm tomatoes, sliced (about 550g)
• 1 generous handful fresh basil leaves (about 20g)
• 2 tablespoons thick balsamic glaze
• 20–24 small plain, ready-to-serve crostini (about 180g)
• 12 oz sliced Italian salami, preferably two varieties (about 340g)
• 4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto (about 115g)
• 6 oz sliced provolone (about 170g)
• 6 oz fontina, cubed (about 170g)
• 1 cup pitted green olives, drained (about 150g)
• 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (about 70g)
• 1/2 cup Marcona almonds (about 70g)
• 1 cup red or purple grapes (about 150g)
• A pinch of freshly ground black pepper (optional)

These amounts are a guide for a large appetizer board. Adjust them for your board and guest count, keeping enough room for the Caprese section and central crostini row.

How to Assemble the Board

1. Prep and drain: Wash and dry the produce. Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into similarly thick rounds and pat away excess moisture. Drain the olives and sun-dried tomatoes, and cube the fontina.
2. Set the anchors: Put the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and almonds in separate small dishes on the board. Reserve one broad side for the Caprese and a lane through the center for the crostini. Place the provolone and fontina in separate clusters in the remaining space.
3. Build the Caprese: Overlap the tomato and mozzarella rounds in a long row on the reserved side, tucking whole basil leaves between the slices. Keep the row clear of the bread lane.
4. Fill the gaps: Loosely roll or fold the prosciutto. Overlap the salami in several distinct clusters around the cheeses and dishes, then tuck small groups of grapes near the edges. Leave the cheeses and dishes easy to reach.
5. Add the bread and finish: Just before serving, overlap the crostini down the center. Drizzle the thick balsamic glaze over the Caprese only; add black pepper if using. Serve while the bread is crisp.

Keep the Crostini Crisp

Tomatoes and fresh mozzarella release liquid after slicing. Pat them dry, leave a little space between the Caprese and crostini, and keep the olives and oil-packed tomatoes in dishes. Thick balsamic glaze stays on the Caprese better than thin vinegar, which can run toward the bread.

If the board is too crowded to serve from comfortably, put extra crostini on a separate plate rather than covering the cheeses or Caprese. The same arrangement also works on a large tray.

Make-Ahead, Serving, and Storage

Portion the meats and cheeses and drain the jarred ingredients ahead of time; refrigerate perishable components separately. If convenient, take the cheeses out up to 30 minutes before serving while you assemble the board. Add the crostini and glaze shortly before guests eat.

Keep the total time perishable meats and cheeses spend at room temperature under two hours, or one hour if the temperature is above 90°F (30°C). Refrigerate leftovers promptly in separate covered containers and follow package guidance for opened products. Keep leftover crostini dry and separate; assembled Caprese is best eaten fresh. Do not freeze the assembled board.

Serve the board before baked ziti with five cheeses, or follow it with creamy Tuscan ravioli.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per 1/10 of the board: 585 calories, 32g protein, 40g fat, and 26g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 235 calories, 13g protein, 16g fat, and 10g carbohydrates. Values vary with the brands of meats, cheeses, crostini, and glaze, as well as portion size.