Antipasti Salami Rolls
July 8, 2019 by Nicole Collins
Are cravings the worst, or what?
It’s crazy how a desire pops in your head out of nowhere and will not leave you alone. It nags and nags your mind until you either go nutso or give in. I imagine this scene happening in my brain of a small child pulling on her mom’s skirt whining “I want it. I WANT IT!!” When I get a craving, I might as well be that little girl.
I WANT IT!
I read or heard somewhere once that if you crave something for more than 3 minutes, it’s more than just an impulse craving and that you should go ahead and satisfy it. Has anyone ever heard that before? Can someone fact check me on that?
There are some things that I crave on repeat…like sushi, for example. The sushi craving pops up every 2-3 weeks, I’d say. And, I’ll usually let thoughts of it consume my soul for days before I bite the bullet and give my fav local spot my $14.72.
I also send the bestie a text, almost weekly, telling her the random things I’m craving that day. And, it’s usually quite the feast!
But, I guess it’s true. After I send her the “things I want today” text, 99% of the time most of those things I’m craving will be gone from my mind. There are DEFINITELY some noms that stick, though.
Recently, one of my major cravings has been a charcuterie board. I know! How random is that? I don’t know why, but I just want to have a big old spread of meat, cheese, and bread with dipping oils and vinegars on the side displayed in front of me to enjoy at my leisure.
Ok after describing it out loud, maybe I DO know exactly why I’m craving that. MMMmmm!
Today’s recipe is kind of a compromise to the charcuterie board I’ve been craving. It’s actually more like portable charcuterie!
Today, we’re making Antipasti Salami Rolls!
If you think about a traditional antipasti display, there’s a full array of meats, cheeses, and veggies. Our recipe today combines all three of those items into one bite.
And, does it really get any better than that?
We’re going to start our salami rolls by making three different cream cheese based spreads: Tuscan, Roasted Red Pepper, and Balsamic Caramelized Onion. Each of these spread takes on a completely different texture and flavor profile which adds some extra excitement to our rolls!
For our first filling, we take some sun dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, and shredded mozzarella; and we run it through the food processor with some whipped cream cheese. You guys know I love using whipped cream cheese because it stays soft and spreadable without having to let it sit out and soften first. But, you can totally use softened cream cheese if you really prefer it. Regardless, after these ingredients are blended together, we have a tangy, herbaceous, garlicky, thick spread that pairs perfectly with the meaty salami.
For our next filling, we’re going to use a classic antipasti ingredient: roasted red pepper. The roasted red pepper goes straight from the jar to the food processor along with a little goat cheese to help intensify the tang. Blend them together, and you’ll have a smooth and creamy spread that’s perfectly rich.
Our final spread requires a little more effort, but the sweet and tangy end result is totally worth it. We start by caramelizing some onions until they just start to brown, then we add some balsamic vinegar to the pan to really deepen the flavor. After we let the onions cool down a bit, they get blended with our last bit of whipped cream cheese just like the rest. This mix also comes out nice and creamy, and though it may not be the prettiest of the spreads, it just might be my favorite flavor.
After our spreads are blended, we have options! We can use them as intended by spreading a little dollop in the center of a piece of hard salami, then rolling the meat over the filling to create a little cigar shape. Or, we can use the spread as a schmear for some bread, crackers, bagels, or any other bready carb of your choice. Or, we can get really crazy and eat the salami roll in the same bite as some bread. Talk about hitting the jackpot!
These rolls are perfect as a standalone appetizer or as a component on a cheese or charcuterie board. All three spreads combined make enough for a lot of rolls! And you know me, I packed some with crackers and grapes and took them for lunch!
Alright, everyone! Now that we’ve fulfilled my craving, tell me about yours! What are you craving that we should make next?
Until then, enjoy! And, let’s eat!
Antipasti Salami Rolls
Serves: 10-12 Print
Ingredients:
For the Balsamic Caramelized Onion Cream Cheese Filling:
½ cup whipped cream cheese
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
For the Tuscan Cream Cheese Filling:
½ cup whipped cream cheese
1 tbsp sun dried tomatoes, chopped (about 3 tomatoes)
1 tbsp basil, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
pinch of salt
For the Roasted Red Pepper Cream Cheese Filling:
½ cup whipped cream cheese
2 oz goat cheese, softened
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup fire roasted red pepper, chopped
For Assembling:
60-70 slices hard salami
Directions:
Make the Balsamic Caramelized Onions: Melt 1 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions, and cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to brown and caramelize. Add balsamic vinegar, and cook 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool slightly.
While onions are cooling, make the Tuscan Cream Cheese Filling: Add all ingredients for the Tuscan Cream Cheese Filling to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and well combined. Transfer mix to a bowl, and clean out the bowl of the food processor.
Next, make the Roasted Red Pepper Cream Cheese Filling: Add all ingredients for the Roasted Red Pepper Cream Cheese Filling to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and well combined. Transfer mix to another bowl, and clean out the bowl of the food processor.
Finish the Balsamic Caramelized Onion Cream Cheese Filling: Add ½ cup cream cheese and the cooled caramelized onions to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and well combined. Transfer mix to a third bowl.
Assemble the Salami Rolls: Spread 1 heaping teaspoon of one of the fillings along the center of a slice of salami. Roll salami over the filling into a cigar shaped log. Repeat with remaining fillings and salami slices. You'll have at least 20 salami rolls per filling. Serve!
Recipe notes:
*These fillings are also delicious spread on crackers or mini bagels. You could leave some filling out and serve them with your salami rolls on an appetizer board.
*You could also leave the fillings out in little bowls with the salami slices available for your guests to roll their own rolls.
*I absolutely love using the mini food processor that comes with this Ninja food prep set. This is pretty much what I use for all of my dips and spreads. It's the perfect size for a smaller job.
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