Journal
How to Build the Perfect Italian Salumi and Cheese Board
A good board is one of the easiest ways to feed friends well. No cooking, no stress, just great ingredients on a wooden board. Here is how we do it at Origini, our Italian deli in Swieqi.
1.Start with three salumi
Pick three with different textures. Something delicate like Prosciutto di Parma or San Daniele, something soft and rich like mortadella, and something with a bit more bite like a salame. Ask for them sliced thin, just before you leave the shop. Freshly cut makes all the difference.
2.Add two or three cheeses
Mix soft and hard. Buffalo mozzarella for freshness, an aged pecorino for a salty kick, and grana in rough chunks rather than slices. Take the cheese out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving so the flavour comes through.
3.Bread on the side
Focaccia or a good ciabatta, torn rather than cut. Breadsticks are a nice extra for something crunchy.
4.Something sweet and something sour
A few olives, a spoonful of honey or fig jam next to the pecorino, and some fresh grapes. Small touches like these make the board look generous.
5.How much do you need?
As a starter, count around 50 to 70 grams of salumi and 50 grams of cheese per person. If the board is the whole meal, double it.
6.Pour the right wine
A crisp white works with mozzarella and prosciutto. A Sicilian red like Nero d'Avola is great with salame and aged cheeses.
Don't want to build it yourself?
Our platters are made to order at the counter with the same salumi and cheeses we slice every day:
- Small Platter, for 2 people€15
- Medium Platter, for 4 people€35
- Large Platter, for 6 people€50
Visit us at 174 Triq Is-Swieqi, Swieqi, a short walk from St Julian's and Paceville, or order on Wolt.