Antipasto Bites

Italian Appetizer Recipes

2 ounces cream cheese (do not use low fat!) 1 pkg. (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent roll dough 1 egg plus 1 Tbsp. water, beaten together 4 strips fresh or jarred roasted red pepper, cut into 3/4-inch strips 2 large marinated artichoke hearts, cut in half lengthwise to 3/4-inch width 1 thin slice Genoa, Lebanese or other salami, cut into 4 strips 4 small pimiento-stuffed green olives, cut in half

A tasty Italian appetizer with the zing of salami and creamy cream cheese. Yield: 16 appetizers Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut cream cheese into 16 equal pieces (about 1 tsp. each). Set aside. Remove dough from its tube. Unroll on lightly floured surface. Cut each triangle of dough in half to form 2 triangles. You should have 16 triangles. Brush outer edges of triangle lightly with beaten egg. Wrap 1 pepper strip around 1 piece of cream cheese and place it on the dough triangle. Fold it over, pinch edges to seal. Repeat with remaining pepper strips. Make 4 triangles with sliced pepper. Repeat the process wrapping the cream cheese in salami strips. Make 4 triangles with salami. Place 1 piece of artichoke heart and 1 piece of cream cheese on dough triangle. Fold it over and pinch edges to seal. Repeat with remaining pieces of artichoke hearts. Place two olive halves and one piece of cream cheese on dough triangle. Fold over and pinch edges to seal. Repeat with remaining olives. Place these triangles evenly-spaced on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack for a couple of minutes. Serve. Store in airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated 325 degree oven for 7-8 minutes or until warmed up. Do Not Microwave! (They will become a gummy mess, then petrify upon standing. blech.) Enjoy! -Diana

Submitted by Diana Bogue
Contributed on: Monday January 2nd, 2006 and modified on Thursday April 29th, 2010