From Better Homes and Gardens

Toast the bread ahead of serving time to make this appetizer recipe even faster to assemble.

Tomato Bruschetta

From Better Homes and Gardens

Cumin and nutmeg spice these ground beef and pork appetizer meatballs.

Meatballs in Tomato-Wine Sauce

From Better Homes and Gardens

Fresh chives are a welcome addition to this low-fat, tomato based bruschetta spread. A taste sensation when made with summer-ripe tomatoes.

Bruschetta

From Better Homes and Gardens

A variety of coatings makes these breadsticks an interesting side dish or appetizer bread. Coiled ends add flair.

Breadsticks

From Better Homes and Gardens

Fragrant and airy, these puffs are perfect for appetizers or snacks.

Italian Pepperoni-Cheese Puffs

From Ladies' Home Journal

Serve this classic Italian appetizer on a buffet table so guests can pick and choose their favorites from among all the fresh and colorful ingredients.

Antipasto

From Prego Italian Sauce

Robust Prego® Italian Sauce, red wine and mozzarella cheese meld together for a delicious Italian-style fondue.

Italiano Fondue

From Better Homes and Gardens

For a quick appetizer, prepare these five-ingredient mini pizzas.

Garlic, Brie, and Pesto Mini-Pizzas

From Food & Wine

Grappa, an Italian spirit, is made from grape pomace (the skins, seeds, and stems left over from winemaking). Its slight earthiness and high alcohol make it perfect for curing fish, as in David Page's meaty striped bass fillets here, delicately scented with fennel.

Grappa-Cured Striped Bass

From Food & Wine

Spiedini are pieces of meat and other foods grilled on skewers. "Sausages and chicken livers are staples of Tuscan cuisine," says Rolando Beramendi.

Sausage, Bread, and Chicken Liver Spiedini

From Food & Wine

"It's a tradition for winemakers to bake bread with grapes to celebrate the harvest," says David Page. Each fall, he uses his wood-burning oven to make this crusty flatbread studded with creamy crumbled blue cheese and sweet table grapes.

Rosemary Flatbread with Blue Cheese, Grapes, and Honey

From Food & Wine

For an extra-savory sandwich, add a touch of grated Parmesan cheese.

Grilled Fontina and Vegetable Antipasti

From Better Homes and Gardens

This simple appetizer is so flavorful it's hard to believe there are just four ingredients.

Tortellini with Salami and Pesto

From Better Homes and Gardens

Vegetables roast to tender sweetness in less than 20 minutes. When piled onto a polenta crust, the roasted asparagus, mushrooms, and tomatoes are sprinkled with Parmesan cheese for a meatless main dish.

Roasted Vegetable Polenta Tart

From Food & Wine

In this clever recipe, Jason Stratton of Seattle's Spinasse makes a simple, creamy sauce by simmering toasted pine nuts with lemon zest and chicken stock, then pureeing them. His other smart trick: cooking shrimp on a superhot bed of coarse salt flavored with bay leaves and lemon zest.

Zucchini Carpaccio with Salt-Broiled Shrimp

From Food & Wine

Mullen's flatbread dough is especially tender thanks to lots of olive oil (to reduce the fat and make a chewier dough, omit the oil. Frozen pizza dough is a good time-saver.

Flatbread with Tomatoes, Ricotta, and Anchovies

From Food & Wine

Melissa Rubel rolls buttery puff pastry around salty prosciutto and melty Fontina to create deeply savory hors d'oeuvres.

Prosciutto-Fontina Pinwheels

From Food & Wine

Although high in cholesterol, eggs are a terrific source of bone-building vitamins D and K. Gabe Thompson combines them with nutrient-rich mustard greens in this healthy frittata.

Mustard Green-and-Sweet Onion Frittata

From Food & Wine

"I don't know if I invented this combo, but since I don't remember stealing it from anyone, I'll take the credit," says Michael Schwartz of his ingenious pizza topping of shrimp, escarole, tangy Manchego, and spicy chorizo. He gets his chorizo (the firm kind; the soft one would make the pizza too greasy) from Miami's El Palacio de los Jugos marketplace.

Shrimp-and-Chorizo Pizza with Escarole and Manchego

From Food & Wine

Like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli rabe is packed with vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B, and C. Chef Gabe Thompson turns it into a healthy, peppery pesto that's delicious on toasted bread.

Broccoli Rabe Pesto Bruschetta

From Better Homes and Gardens

This Sicilian dish features sauteed eggplant, sweet pepper, onion, and celery spiked with vinegar and tomatoes. Serve on toasted Italian bread for a delicious snack or appetizer.

Caponata

From Better Homes and Gardens

Bocconcini are small nuggets of fresh mozzarella packaged in whey or water. Use them for this salad, which can be a fresh side dish or appetizer.

California Heirloom Insalata

From Better Homes and Gardens

Pizza ingredients take over this Italian cookie to make a savory snack or a side dish for soup or spaghetti.

Pepperoni Biscotti

From Better Homes and Gardens

A small bowl serves as a simple mold for this smooth combination of cheese and sour cream.

Gorgonzola-Walnut Cheese Mold

From Better Homes and Gardens

These easy breadsticks are made with a biscuitlike dough. For the finest flavor, use imported black olives.

Olive Breadsticks