Rustic Italian Farmhouse Board (Printable Version)

Generous Italian board with rustic cheeses, cured meats, torn bread, and fresh olives and herbs.

# Components:

→ Cheeses

01 - 7 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, broken into large chunks
02 - 7 oz Pecorino Toscano, cut into wedges
03 - 5 oz Taleggio, torn into rustic pieces

→ Cured Meats

04 - 5 oz Prosciutto di Parma, loosely piled
05 - 4 oz Finocchiona salami, thickly sliced
06 - 4 oz Coppa, arranged in rustic folds

→ Bread

07 - 1 large rustic Italian loaf (such as ciabatta), torn into rough pieces

→ Accompaniments

08 - 1 cup Castelvetrano olives
09 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
10 - 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
11 - 1 small bunch fresh grapes or figs, halved
12 - 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
13 - Fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish
14 - Coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

# Preparation steps:

01 - Arrange Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Toscano, and Taleggio on a large wooden board, breaking or tearing them into irregular chunks and rustic wedges for visual appeal.
02 - Loosely pile prosciutto and coppa, and arrange thick slices of Finocchiona salami in generous, overlapping layers on the board.
03 - Tear the rustic Italian loaf into rough, uneven pieces and scatter around the cheeses and cured meats.
04 - Place Castelvetrano olives, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, and fresh fruit in ample piles between the cheeses and meats.
05 - Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the bread and cheeses, then garnish the board with fresh rosemary sprigs.
06 - Lightly season everything with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper before serving immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Zero cooking required—this is the definition of effortless entertaining, ready in twenty minutes flat
  • Every element tastes like you've genuinely traveled through the Italian countryside, even if you haven't left your kitchen
  • It's impossibly flexible; swap cheeses or add your favorite cured meats without changing a thing
  • People gather around it naturally, making it the perfect centerpiece for conversation and connection
02 -
  • Temperature matters more than people realize—remove the cheeses from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Cold cheese is hard cheese, and you lose the subtle flavors. Room temperature reveals the true character of what you've chosen.
  • The quality of your ingredients is everything on this board. There's nowhere to hide. Buy from places where you can taste before you buy, or from vendors who clearly care about their selection. A mediocre Parmigiano will taste mediocre, no matter how beautifully you arrange it.
03 -
  • If the Taleggio is too cold and firm, run a warm knife under hot water and dry it before slicing—a warm knife glides through soft cheese without tearing it
  • Keep the olives and sun-dried tomatoes in small bowls with their own serving spoons; oil from these can migrate onto the cheese if piled directly on the board
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