Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Antipasto Recipe


It's not pretty to look at...
but I get more requests for my Antipasto
than any of my other canning!


This has to be one of the best antipasto recipes ever! The original recipe came from one of those cookbooks where everyone submits a recipe but it has been modified. The only reason for this is when my Dad and Sister were making it they weren't sure if you were supposed to drain the olives and pickled onions, ...they didn't and it came out great! The longer you can let it sit, after it's canned, the better it tastes. It is quite a costly recipe to make so what I do is buy the "sale" items throughout the year and make it up a bit before Christmas, that's why I'm posting it now---watch for sales :)

3 cans Olives, ripe, sliced
3 cans Olives, green, sliced
4 heads cauliflower florets, small
3 jars pickled onions
3/4 cup olive oil
6 cans sliced mushrooms
4 green peppers, chopped
5 cans green beans, chopped
8 cups Ketchup, Heinz (The large can at Costco is just the right size)
5 cans Shrimp, or a large bag of frozen, or 4-5 shrimp rings tails removed.
6 cans tuna in water (I buy one big tuna can at Costco)
2 Quarts Dill pickles, chopped

3/4 cup white vinegar, *see Note below

1. Mix first 5 ingredients in large pot. Boil 5 minutes.
2. Add next 4 ingredients, boil 10 minutes.
3. Add balance of ingredients. Try not to break up shrimp and tuna too much. Bring to just boiling.
4. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Yield: About 28 pints

Note: *Drain everything except olives and pickled onion juice. Biffy and Frank's flub (taste great.) Omit vinegar.
Optional - small amount of brown sugar, HP sauce, chopped garlic, hot pepper sauce (dried or fresh) WE NEVER USE THESE.



Antipasto canned last Christmas

UPDATE: Read the great review on this recipe at RecipeZaar!

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is my favorite, mmm mmm good and double that. This is the best. It is good to have a standing order. Thanks Kansas

Anonymous said...

It looks delicious! I want to learn to can - I thought everything had to be fresh (tells you what I know about canning...). I think I might just try this and see how it turns out. I have an old canning pot that my parents used to use, but I'll have to see if there are other things I need to begin canning, too. Can you give me some guidance? Thanks!

Also, I LOVE saltines and I found a recipe for some homemade ones that I want to try. =)

Anonymous said...

One more question - do you serve it at room temp or do you serve it warm? Thanks!

Anonymous said...

This sounds wonderful. I heard on the radio yesterday that there is a big recall of olives from Italy-a large number of brand names-due to botulism. Check your cans/bottles before you use them. I love HP sauce-never thought of using it to cook with, but, boy, that is a great idea! Thanks!

KansasA said...

Thanks for the info on the olives Kathleen! I don't have any right now but I'll search the net for the brand names to avoid.
Speaking of HP Sauce I have an excellent recipe for making and canning your own made with apples, plums, and malt vinegar...I'll post it when I dig it out :)

Anonymous said...

My grandmother started canning this style of antipasto for her husband and sons, and the recipe has now been passed through five generations. I cannot remember a jar of leftover antipasto ever being in the fridge. Once a jar has been opened around the house, it goes quickly.

We use sardines as opposed to tuna, and have not added shrimp, but I'm sure that would be quite tasty.

We serve at room temp with saltines.

KansasA said...

Same here about not having any leftovers in the fridge :) It's gone quickly after opening!

Anonymous said...

My Aunt Lucy had a recipe simmilar to this. I wonder if this a Northern Italian tradition because her parents were from the Bergamo region near Lake Isseo.
Also the region where Cudighi comes from.

Anonymous said...

Is it possible to make a smaller amount? maby half???

KansasA said...

Yes you can half the recipe. :)

Anonymous said...

Looks like a good recipe. What do you mean in Item 4. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes? I haven't made Antipasto for 20 years!

KansasA said...

"Process in a hot water bath" is canning (or preserving) it. You fill up a large canner with water over top of the jars and bring to a hard boil for 15 minutes. Remove the jars and when cool make sure all lids are sealed.

drmiko@comcast.net said...

My Aunt Alice from Locarno, Italy made a similar recipe. We always got some at Christmas and she canned it. Many of my friends are skeptical of canning something with fish in it, saying it is against all safe canning practices to use a water bath. What do you say to this? Have you had any problems?

KansasA said...

I'm a leery canner and a lot of the old ways I will not use when I'm canning. That said, I've never had a problem with this recipe and I chalk it up to the vinegar in the pickled onions (or you can optionally add your own vinegar). This is my own opinion. :)
You could always make the recipe without the tuna and add it when you open a jar to serve, personally I've never done this but I think it would work fine.

Anonymous said...

After all is said and done and your jars are sealed and cool are you storing them in the fridge or just in a cold room or in your cupboard?

KansasA said...

Anonymous,
I store them in my pantry cupboard.

Anonymous said...

I love making antipasto and if processed in the hot water bath it will keep a very long time. Yesterday I opened my last jar which was canned in Feb of 09. And yes it does have the tuna in it and yes it is the vinegar which preserves everything. Now it's time for me to make more; this is a delicious healthy snack.