11 appetizers perfect for al fresco season
Because appetizers are the best part of the meal
Hi, friends. Al fresco season is here, and there are few things I love more than spending a balmy evening outside with the ones I love, eating and sipping and yapping the night away. Sometimes that means inviting over friends or family and going a little over the top with the meal — ya know, just because — and sometimes that means taking our nightly family dinner outside to enjoy a little fresh air and change of scenery.
One thing that’s a must, no matter what? Appetizers. If it’s just us, that might mean a simple snackie while we cook. A bowl of kettle-cooked chips, perhaps, maybe with some castelvetrano olives, too, or some cured meats and a few slices of cheese, or veggies and store-bought dip. The Trader Joe’s spicy snack bar mix is always in stock at our house, and makes a perfect cooking and sipping companion.
But if we’re having people over — and honestly sometimes, even if we’re not — I’m a big fan (no surprise here) of going all out with the apps. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite parts of hosting. The casualness of munching on something yummy just after everyone arrives and easing into a fun night with good company just can’t be beat!
Which is why for this week’s newsletter, I’m bringing you 11 appetizers that are shareable, delicious, and perfect for warm nights spent al fresco. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Cheese-Stuffed Fried Olives
A classic that goes viral every time I share it. These babies are so addictive, and the saltiness tastes just perfect with a crispy cold glass of white wine. You can really go nuts and customize these here — use pretty much any type of cheese, and zhuzh up the breading with whatever spices or herbs or citrus zests tickle your fancy. You can also make them in the air fryer.
Makes: 25-30
1 8-oz jar large, pitted olives (about 25-30 total)
4 oz low moisture mozzarella cheese
2⁄3 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1⁄4 cup parmigiano cheese 1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Oil for cooking
Lemon wedges for serving
Drain olives and set aside to dry. Slice your mozzarella into very small rectangles that are the size of the space inside your pitted olives. Stuff each olive with a piece of cheese.
Place your flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Season the flour with a little bit of salt and pepper and stir to combine. Beat the eggs with a little salt. Add parmigiano, dried parsley, garlic powder, a little salt, and pepper to breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Note: because the olives are already salty, you don’t want to overdo it with the salt in this step.
Dredge the stuffed olives by first coating in flour, then egg wash, then breadcrumbs.
In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat 1 inch of neutral cooking oil over medium-high heat. Fry the olives in batches of 5-8 olives for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown all over. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
To air fry, preheat air fryer to 400 degrees. Spray breaded olives with cooking spray and cook for about 8 minutes, tossing halfway through, until they are golden brown all over.
To serve, drizzle with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and enjoy hot with a glass of cold wine. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Grilled Whole Eggplant Baba Ghanoush
This one couldn’t be easier — just pierce a whole eggplant a few times all around, throw it on the grill until it’s collapsing into itself, split it open, and slather it with tahini and olive oil. Not a traditional baba ghanoush, but a really simple way to make it, and the presentation is stunning.
Serves: 2-4
Ready in: About 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
Tahini
Lemon juice
Salt
Olive oil, Aleppo pepper, and za’atar for serving
Pierce your eggplant all around with a fork. Place on a preheated grill and cook for about 30-45 minutes, until the eggplant is collapsing on itself and the skin is looking shriveled. This will take longer for a large eggplant and less time for a smaller one.
Let the eggplant cool for a few minutes, then carefully it open. Use a fork to mash up the inside. Pour on some tahini and lemon juice and season generously with salt, then stir until it’s all combined with the mashed eggplant. Garnish with lots of olive oil, Aleppo pepper, and za’atar, and serve with pita bread for dipping.
Pizza Carrots
Roasted carrots don’t exactly scream exciting appetizer, but roasted carrots over burrata, topped with a warm pizza-flavored oil? Yes, please. The oil is spiked with fennel, olives, and garlic, giving it that savory, aromatic pizza flavor. Combined with the cold, creamy burrata, it’s just so good.
Serves: 4 as an appetizer
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
For the carrots:
1/2 lb carrots, cleaned and cut in half lengthwise
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
Toss carrots with the rest of the ingredients and place on a baking sheet or pan. Bake at 415 for 20-25 minutes, until fork tender and beginning to caramelize.
For the pizza oil:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 heaping tbsp chopped olives
2 tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
salt
When the carrots are almost done, start making your oil. Add olive oil to a pan and heat over low. Add olives, sun-dried tomatoes, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes and cook gently over low until very fragrant and spices are starting to brown, 3-5 minutes. Add in your garlic along with a pinch of salt and cook for another 3 or so minutes until garlic is starting to brown. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.
For serving:
1-2 balls burrata cheese
Small handful of finely chopped parsley
Small handful of pistachios, roughly chopped
Flaky salt
To serve, grab your favorite plate or platter and place your burrata in the center. Arrange carrots on top of and around the cheese, then spoon on your oil. Sprinkle with parsley, pistachios, and flaky salt to finish. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Fried Zucchini Chips With Tzatziki
A crunchy, light-as-air, and addictive little snack. Fry them fresh right before serving, or make them ahead of time and serve them at room temp. Perfect for making you feel like you’re on a beach in Greece.
Serves: 8
For the tzatziki:
1 large persian cucumber, grated (you want about 1/2 cup grated cucumber)
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or microplaned
2 tbsp finely chopped dill
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt
Line a colander with a clean towel or paper towels and add in the grated cucumber. Gather the cucumber in the towel or paper towels, and then squeeze out as much water as you can.
Add cucumbers to the Greek yogurt along with the rest of the ingredients and a pinch of salt and mix. Taste, and add more salt if desired. Set aside.
For the fried zucchini:
2 zucchini (about 1 lb total), thinly sliced (I used the 4.5mm setting on my mandoline)
1 cup flour
1 1/3 cup soda water
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
Neutral oil for frying
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda water, and dried oregano, and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a couple inches oil over medium to medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Once oil is hot (you can use a droplet of the batter to test the oil), dip a handful of zucchini slices in the batter then transfer one by one to the oil, using either tongs or a fork. Working in batches, fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes depending on how hot your oil is, then flip and fry until the second side is golden brown. Remove to either a paper towel-lined plate or a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Season with salt.
Serve the fried zucchini warm with tzatziki on the side. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Mortadella Phyllo Triangles
These phyllo triangles are stuffed with mortadella, mozzarella, and pistachios and are like a little individually-wrapped charcuterie board.
Serves: 8
3-4 sheets of phyllo dough
8 thin slices of mortadella
1⁄2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1⁄3 cup chopped pistachios
1 egg, beaten
Flaky salt for garnishing
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Start by cutting your phyllo sheets into long rectangles. Starting on the shorter side, cut each sheet into 3 long pieces. Each strip will make one triangle and this recipe is only for 8, but since phyllo can tear and dry out very quickly, I recommend having a few extras just in case.
Place 1 slice of mortadella, 1 tbsp of the mozzarella, and a sprinkle of pistachios at the end of a strip of phyllo. Take the bottom right corner of phyllo dough and fold it up and towards the left, creating a triangle shape. Keep folding the triangle until you have reached the end of the strip. Place your triangles on a baking sheet, and brush with the egg. Sprinkle with flaky salt and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Loaded Hummus
Hummus and carrots but all dressed up for a special occasion. You can totally use store-bought hummus here to make things easier, but this recipe is also the best hummus I’ve ever made. And don’t forget lots of pita bread/chips on the side for dipping!
Serves: 6-8
For the hummus:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ tsp baking soda
3-4 garlic cloves
Juice of 1 lemon (~2 tbsp)
½ cup tahini
Salt
Place your chickpeas and baking soda in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes, until chickpeas can easily be smushed between your fingers. Let cool for at least 10 minutes or in the fridge for a few hours.
Add your cooked chickpeas to a high-speed blender or food processor along with the rest of your ingredients and 2 cubes of ice. Blend, adding ice water as needed to loosen it up and achieve your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
For the roasted carrots:
4 medium carrots, cut in half and then cut into quarters
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried
4 shallots, peeled and quartered
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbsp Aleppo pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 415. Place your carrots, chickpeas, and shallots on a baking sheet, and mix with oil and spices. Use your hands to make sure everything is evenly coated. Bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing every 10 or so minutes, until carrots are cooked through and starting to caramelize and chickpeas are crispy.
For serving:
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup fresh herbs, roughly chopped/torn
Olive oil
Bread for dipping
Spread your hummus on a plate. Top with roasted veggies, feta, herbs, and olive oil. Serve with your favorite bread for dipping and scooping.
Warm Marinated Olives
When olives straight out of the jar just aren’t cutting it and you want to make ‘em feel a little more special. You can really marinate them with any herbs/spices/aromatics you have on hand to make them your own (and I’ve shared a few different iterations on Instagram in the past), but this citrus-spiked version is so nice for spring and summer. What really sets them apart though? Serving them warm.
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp or more Calabrian chili paste 1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5 cups mixed olives
Add olive oil, lemon zest, Calabrian chili paste, fennel seeds, oregano, and garlic cloves to a medium-sized pot. Gently heat over low heat until it’s starting to sizzle, about 3-4 minutes. Add your olives and lemon juice, stir, and cook on medium-low until the olives are warmed through, about five minutes. Serve warm.
Charcuterie Nachos
I don’t really know what to call these — potato chip snacks? Charcuterie nachos? Heavenly bites of deliciousness? Either way, they are so easy and so damn good. I love this version with Dijon mustard, prosciutto, cheese, and a little pickled pepperoncini, but make it your own with whatever dip/spread, meat, cheese, or pickled/brine-y thing you love! Fig jam, manchego cheese, pepper jelly — all of these sound so nice here.
Serves: 2-4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
Kettle cooked chips
Dijon mustard (I’m obsessed with Maille’s Rich Country Dijon lately)
Thinly sliced prosciutto (thin is key here!)
Parmesan cheese, cut into little shards/slices
Peperoncini, sliced
Grab as many flat chips as you can find in the bag, as these are easier to pile ingredients on top of. Spread a little Dijon on each, then drape prosciutto on top. Finish with a little cheese shard and a pepperoncini slice.
Puff Pastry Pizzas
This one could definitely double as a main course. A veritable crowd-pleaser that’s pretty simple to throw together and can be topped with whatever you like or whatever you have lying around. Switch up the sauce, cheese, or toppings to make it completely yours — just don’t forget to thaw out your puff pastry ahead of time.
Serves: 6+
Ready in: 20 minutes
1 package (2 sheets) puff pastry dough, defrosted according to package directions
1 egg, beaten, mixed with 1 tbsp of water
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Sauce of choice (marinara, pesto, olive oil, etc.)
Toppings of choice (olives, sauteed mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage, prosciutto + arugula — whatever you like!)
Preheat your oven to 400 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove your puff pastry from packaging and unroll. Using a pizza cutter or sharp paring knife, cut it into squares. You can do larger squares (divide each sheet into 4 squares) or smaller ones (divide each sheet into 16 squares).
Score the puff pastry squares around the edge with a paring knife. To do this, lightly cut a small crust (about 1/4 inch) just on the surface – do not cut through. Brush the crust with egg wash. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until puff pastry has puffed up and is just starting to brown – we are not cooking it all the way through right now.
Remove puff pastry from the oven and start loading on your sauce, then cheese, then toppings. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and cheese is melted. Add any toppings you’d like uncooked after cooking (arugula + prosciutto, for example). Serve warm. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Spring Veggie, Burrata, & Avocado Salad
This one’s not so much a finger food, but definitely deserves a place on the list because it’s a delicious way to make the most of spring’s best veggies. Plop it down in the middle of the table with some crusty bread or serve it as your salad course. Either way, prepare for ooohs and ahhhs.
Serves: 2-4
Ready in: 20 minutes
1 handful green beans, trimmed
1 handful asparagus, trimmed
1/3 cup fresh peas
1 ball fresh mozzarella (preferably buffalo mozzarella), torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 avocado, sliced
2 tbsp walnut pieces
1 tbsp mint leaves
Dressing:
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp finely chopped shallot
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp walnut oil (I used @latourangelle, or use EVOO)
salt + freshly ground black pepper
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Place a large bowl filled with water and ice next to it. Blanch the green beans and asparagus together for 2 1/2 minutes, then remove to the ice water. Blanch the peas for 1 minute, then remove to the ice water. Drain and set aside.
Mix together all of the ingredients for the dressing except for the oil. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking to create a smooth emulsification. Taste and add salt if needed.
To assemble, place your blanched veggies on a plate, then top with mozzarella pieces. Arrange avocado slices around the salad, then top with walnuts and mint. Drizzle with dressing and finish with flaky sea salt. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Grilled Artichokes With Calabrian Chili Mayo
In my humble opinion, there’s no better way to eat an artichoke than to grill it. This recipe is inspired in part by the famous Hillstone artichokes, but with a spicy mayo that really takes it to the next level.
Serves: 4
Ready in: 45 minutes
For the artichokes:
2 large or 3 smaller artichokes
1 lemon + 1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, finely chopped, crushed, or microplaned
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt
To trim the artichokes, start by pulling off the tougher outside leaves until you get to the leaves that are white at the bottom. Next, trim off the bottom 1/2 inch of the stem (I like to leave them stem on as it’s edible and delicious). Using a paring knife, trim around the stem to remove the tougher outer parts, and clean up around the base of the artichoke where you removed the outer leaves. Next, use a serrated knife to cut off the top 1 inch of the artichoke leaves. Cut the artichoke in half, then place in a bowl of water with 1 lemon squeezed in. Repeat with rest of your artichokes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add in your artichokes. Boil for 25-35 minutes until the artichoke stem is fork tender. Remove, then using a spoon scoop out the choke part from each artichoke half.
While the artichoke is boiling, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil along with a big pinch of salt. Set aside until ready to grill.
Before grilling, brush the artichoke halves with the olive oil mixture. Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat, around 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your artichokes on the grill and cook, flipping and basting frequently, until they leaves, heart, and stem have a nice char, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill.
For the Calabrian chili olive oil mayo:
1 cup olive oil
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
Salt
1 tbsp Calabrian chili paste (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
Add olive oil, egg + egg yolk, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt to a wide-mouth jar that is just wide enough to accommodate your immersion blender. Place your blender firmly at the bottom of the jar, then turn it on to the lowest setting. Keep the blender firmly at the bottom of the jar until most of the oil has emulsified with the egg. Once you don't see any more movement, you can begin to slowly lift the blender up until all of the oil is incorporated. Stir in your Calabrian chili paste with a spoon and add more salt if needed.
If you don't want to make mayo from scratch, mix your favorite store-bought mayonnaise with lemon, salt, and Calabrian chili paste.
Serve grilled artichokes with Calabrian chili olive oil mayo for dipping and extra lemon on the side. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
This is excellent. Thank you Rita.
I loveeee the idea of pizza carrots! What a creative idea to jazz up carrots.