Venetian-Inspired Cicchetti Recipe
Summer Nibbles We’re Loving Right Now
Nibbles and drinks are a bit of a ritual in our house, no matter the day of the week. It’s a chance to pause, chat, and snack while dinner’s bubbling away (with some tunes playing in the background too). It’s our way of starting the day’s evening meal with joy.
Summer especially lends itself to this kind of eating. When the heat makes full-on cooking feel like a bit much, having a few flavour-packed bites to graze on is ideal. (Meal idea: team these nibbles with a bowl of pasta, and you’ve got yourself an Italian inspired feast!)
Lately, I’ve been making Cicchetti on repeat, inspired by the traditional Venetian small plates we devoured on a recent day trip to Venice. We ate our weigh in these! There, you’ll find counters full of them in tiny bacari (wine bars). It’s like Italy’s answer to tapas. One of the most popular Cicchetiti is Baccalà mantecato, a creamy cod spread on bread or polenta. Washed down with a glass of Aperol, it’s pure heaven.
This recipe is my take on Cicchetti. They’re part bruschetta, part crostini, and very much shaped by whatever’s growing in the garden or hanging out in the fridge. Each one starts with a baguette base. I just use a store-bought baguette, sliced into 1.5cm rounds, lightly toasted until golden.
Here are four of our favourite combos to try:
Tomato & Basil
You’ll need:
6–8 ripe tomatoes (or 1 large beef tomato)
Fresh basil
Olive oil
1 garlic clove
4 slices of baguette
How to make:
Toast your baguette slices until golden. While still warm, rub one side with a cut garlic clove.
Dice the tomatoes and mix with chopped basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Pile generously onto your toasted baguette and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Mozzarella, Basil & Lemon
You’ll need:
1 ball of mozzarella
Fresh basil
1 lemon
Olive oil
4 slices of baguette
How to make:
Toast your baguette slices.
Tear or slice the mozzarella and toss with a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh basil.
Spoon onto your toast and top with a little lemon zest. Oozy, creamy and oh so delicious!
Pea, Broad Bean & Parmesan
You’ll need:
A handful of peas
A handful of broad beans
Fresh mint
1 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tsp lemon juice
Olive oil
4 slices of baguette
How to make:
Toast your baguette slices.
Cook the peas and broad beans until just tender.
In a bowl, mash them roughly with chopped mint. Discard any thick bean skins if you like (or munch on them whilst cooking. That’s what I do!!)
Stir in the Parmesan, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Spread onto your toasts and top with a few shavings of Parmesan.
Aubergine & Mint
You’ll need:
1 aubergine
Olive oil
White wine vinegar (or red, cherry — whatever’s in the cupboard)
Fresh mint
Fresh parsley
1 garlic clove
4 slices of baguette
How to make:
Toast your baguette slices.
Slice the aubergine into 1cm rounds and grill or roast until soft and golden.
In a bowl, mix 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp vinegar, chopped mint, parsley, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the warm aubergine to the bowl and toss to coat.
Spoon onto your toasts and drizzle with any leftover dressing.
These are brilliant with a glass of something cold in hand, whether mocktail, cocktail, or something else, and the best part is how easily they come together. No fancy ingredients, no fuss, just good, honest food.
Let me know if you try one (or all of them!).
Happy Eating!
- Becky :)
P.S: Some snaps from our Extreme Day Trip to Venice.
