Christmas party dining inspiration from the chef behind Italian restaurant Passo.

There are many ways to entertain people. You can take them to the pictures. You can sing them a song. You can even try to dazzle them with your conversational skills (always tricky, that one). But often the most effective way is simply to feed them – a fact that becomes clear as everyone begins to do the rounds of festive celebrations this December. And when it comes to party catering, thank goodness for the Italian invention of antipasti – delectable selections of cured meats, cheese and other delicious savoury bites that, in the past few decades (in Britain at least) have done away with the need for pineapples on sticks, prawn vol-au-vents and all other revolting canapés of yesteryear. Now, thanks to the welcome presence of antipasti and the components thereof in most supermarkets, it’s almost become customary to be served up sun-dried tomatoes and bresaola with your first glass of champagne on Christmas Eve, and thank goodness for that.

Of course, the prevalence of antipasti does mean that they’re often deployed in an amateurish fashion. The same could never be said of the spreads deployed at Passo, a new all-day Italian restaurant in London’s Old Street from the team behind The Rum Kitchen and Foley’s. Here, Sicilian head chef Mr Massimiliano Iaquinoto (who trained at the two-Michelin-starred Locanda Don Serafino) and group executive chef Mr Joe Hill have curated a compulsively moreish selection of antipasti, including aubergine crisps, beef and mortadella meatballs, and a range of delectable cured meats from artisanal British suppliers. “We are obviously an Italian restaurant, but we pride ourselves on using great British produce when we can,” says Mr Hill. “For our charcuterie board we are using a great supplier called Blackhand characuterie, a small producer based in east London. They use rare-breed pork, mostly Gloucester Old Spot and Berkshires, which have had a long life and will naturally have a much deeper flavour.”

Suddenly feeling hungry after all this, and in need of some inspiration for our own party platters, we at MR PORTER asked Mr Hill for his expert advice on the art of the antipasto. Scroll down for his wise words, and the full recipe for his delicious fried artichoke hearts with salsa verde.

A good antipasti platter should dazzle the tastebuds ahead of the main event. Therefore, says Mr Hill, variety is key. “For me, it’s all about having a carefully curated selection of great flavours so there is something for everyone… whether they are meat eaters or vegetarians.” Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should bombard your guests with options – it’s all about a thoughtful selection of powerful, individual tastes. “You’d always rather have less food of a higher quality than a huge spread with mediocre flavours,” says Mr Hill.

There’s no one good wine for antipasti, according to Mr Hill, but he has some guidelines nonetheless. “A nice, complex prosecco goes well with parma ham,” he says. “With our fried artichoke dish, we would recommend serving Bastianich Friulano Colli Orientali del Friuli “Adriatico”, and with burrata, a fiano di avellino.

Something cooked is nice to grace your antipasti board with, but often you don’t need that, says Mr Hill. “There is so much amazing produce out there at the moment in Europe, but also right here in Britain. Artisan producers in the UK are producing fantastic cured meats, cheeses, pickles and chutneys. If you’ve got the time to whip up something like our mortadella meatballs, that’s brilliant, but if there’s only one of you in the kitchen, an amazing spread of fresh artisan ingredients will wow your guests just as much.”

A rookie error is to serve your meats and cheeses straight from the fridge, says Mr Hill. Instead, you should set them out at room temperature an hour before your guests arrive. “All cheeses and meats come to life when they’ve had a chance to reach room temperature,” says Mr Hill. “It will make a world of difference to the taste.”

The ultimate hazard of antipasti? That they’re so delicious that everyone gorges on them and then is too full for their dinner. Mr Hill himself admits some weakness in this regard. “For me personally, the antipasti can be the main event!” he says. “A charcuterie board with cheese and olives and a glass of red… that will keep me happy all night!” But if you don’t want to encourage such behaviour, he says, be very careful about just how much you serve up. “A small portion of great ingredients goes a long way,” he says. “There should be just enough to give each person a taste and then leave them wanting more!”

Want to serve something special? Scroll down for one of Mr Hill’s signature antipasto recipes.

“Artichokes are a classic Italian antipasti,” says Mr Hill. “We source ours from Puglia, a region of Italy famous for its artichokes. The town of San Fernando even holds an annual artichoke festival.” Make your own at home with the following instructions.

1½-2 cloves garlic

1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (picked)

1 bunch of fresh basil (picked)

1 handful of fresh mint (picked)

1 small handful of capers

1 small handful of gherkins, in sweet vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp white wine vinegar (and more to taste)

8 tbsp really good extra virgin olive oil

For the artichokes

Artichoke hearts with stem in brine, 2 per portion

1-2l vegetable oil (for deep frying)

Parmesan, to finish

1. Drain the artichokes on a J Cloth, overnight if possible.

2. Peel the garlic, then finely chop on a large board with the herbs, capers and gherkins.

3. Place in blender and add the mustard and vinegar, then slowly add the oil, stirring it in until the mixture reaches the consistency of a full-fat yoghurt. Blend until quite smooth.

4. Balance the flavours with black pepper, a bit of sea salt and maybe a little more vinegar.

5. Cut the drained artichokes in half and serve 2 per portion (4 halves)

6. Heat the oil in a pan – it should be deep enough to cover the artichokes completely. Test the heat by dropping a grain of rice into the oil – if it rises to the top and starts cooking, then it’s hot enough. Deep-fry the artichokes until golden brown and drain on kitchen paper before serving.

7. Place salsa verde on the bottom of a plate, fried artichokes on top. Top with grated parmesan.

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