Ingredients :
- 1 baguette, sliced on the bias into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/4 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
- 8 ounces Calabrese salami sliced
- 8 ounces Genoa salami sliced
- 8 ounces prosciutto
- 8 ounces thinly sliced Serrano ham
- 12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts drained, stems removed, and halved
- 12 ounces marinated mushrooms drained
- 12 ounces pitted, brine-cured olives
- 10 ounces stuffed cherry peppers drained
- 16 ounces cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 1 hothouse cucumber unpeeled, sliced on the bias
- 1 bunch fresh basil separated into sprigs
Directions :
- To toast the baguette slices, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Brush the slices evenly with olive oil. Bake until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and rub each slice with a clove of raw garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.
- On a large platter, arrange mozzarella slices in an overlapping pile. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with pepper (I like ΒΌ teaspoon).
- Working with one ingredient at a time, arrange salami, prosciutto, and ham in piles around the platter. If desired, place artichoke hearts, mushrooms, olives, and cherry peppers in bowls and nestle around the piles of meat.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices to the platter, then fill in any remaining gaps with baguette slices. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs.
