Smart shopping and a few hours in the kitchen can deliver stress-free party food at budget-friendly prices, leaving you time and money to knock up some moreish cocktails
Cheeseboard wreath
page 40
Italian antipasti
SERVES 8
Celebrate la dolce vita with classic Italian deli goodies, alongside homemade meatballs, artichoke dip and crispy polenta chips – all bursting with delicious sunshine flavours.
Parmesan and fennel meatballs
MAKES 16/SERVES 8 AS PART OF A PLATTER ❄
Hands-on time 20 mins
Total time 35 mins
50g fresh, soft breadcrumbs
3 tbsp milk
250g 5% fat minced pork
1 tbsp grated Parmesan
2 slices prosciutto, finely chopped
1 egg yolk 1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 In a mixing bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for a few minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except for the oil, and season. Work the ingredients together well with your hands and then roll into small meatballs the size of ping pong balls, to make 16.
2 Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium high heat. Brown the meatballs all over until cooked through, about 8 minutes, and remove from the pan. You may need to do them in two batches. Serve with toothpicks so that you can dip them in the tomato sauce from the polenta chips.
■ 55cals; 3g fat (1g sat fat); 5g protein; 0g fibre; 3g carbs; 0g total sugars; 0.1g salt
Get ahead Make 2 days ahead and chill, or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat (defrosted if frozen) in a low oven for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Artichoke and pine nut dip
SERVES 8 AS PART OF A PLATTER V GF Hands-on time 20 mins Total time 20 mins
30g pine nuts
30g Parmesan*
1 x280g jar marinated artichokes, drained, reserving
3 tbsp oil
1 garlic clove, chopped juice of 1 lemon
1 x30g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves picked
2 plum tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1 Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for 4 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool.
2 Put the Parmesan in a food processor and pulse until crumbly and finely broken up. Add the pine nuts, drained artichokes and the 3 tablespoons of their oil, garlic, lemon juice, parsley and seasoning. Pulse to a chunky paste that’s not too smooth.
3 Transfer to a bowl and gently stir in the diced tomatoes. *Use vegetarian cheese if required.
■ 115cals; 11g fat (2g sat fat); 3g protein; 2g fibre; 1g carbs; 1g total sugars; 0.5g salt
Get ahead Make the dip the day before and chill, stirring in the parsley (finely chopped) and tomatoes just before serving.
Polenta chips with chilli tomato sauce
SERVES 8 AS PART OF A PLATTER V GF ❄ Hands-on time 30 mins Total time 40 mins, plus ch
