Secundo Servito – Antipasti di Cucina (Second Service of Kitchen Appetizers)
In the structure of a formal Italian Renaissance feast, the second course was not necessarily the heaviest—it was often a bridge between light pantry offerings and more substantial meat dishes. This Secundo Servito, or Second Service, featured Antipasti di Cucina: hot or composed savory appetizers prepared fresh from the kitchen, in contrast to the simpler cold antipasti di credenza served earlier.
These warm antipasti were designed to stimulate the appetite and prepare the body for digestion according to Galenic principles—the humoral theory that governed much of Renaissance cooking. Dishes often balanced sweet and sour flavors, incorporated herbs for digestive support, and reused day-old bread or preserved meats to show both economy and elegance.
Our 12th Night Second Service of Antipasti took inspiration directly from Bartolomeo Scappi’s 1570 masterpiece Opera dell’arte del cucinare. This course was curated and prepared by Jennifer Bishop, with generous contributions from Dan Parker, who substituted his homemade bacon in place of prosciutto with delicious results.
Served in the Second Antipasti Course:
- Per far crostate cioè pan ghiotto con barbaglia de porco, o presciutto – “To prepare crostate—that is, gourmand bread—with salted pork jowl or prosciutto”
Courtesy of Jennifer Bishop & Dan Parker - Preparare una crostata di funghi per un giorno in prestito – “To prepare a crostata of mushrooms (for a fast day)”
Courtesy of Jennifer Bishop - Insalata di Cicorea Bianca – White chicory salad with raisins and shallots
- Uva in Salamoia – Pickled grapes
Each dish reflects Renaissance preferences for layered flavors and textures—toasted bread with rich toppings, sharp greens softened with sweet fruit, and preserved grapes offering a tart palate cleanser. The mushroom tart, notably, is drawn from Scappi’s frequent practice of offering giorni di magro (fast day) variants for religious observance.
Did You Know? Scappi’s antipasti courses regularly included both meat and vegetable preparations, showcasing not just opulence but also culinary mindfulness—adapting to dietary restrictions and balancing the humors.
🍞 Crostate – Gourmand Bread with Pork Jowl or Prosciutto
Course: Second Service – Antipasti di Cucina
Source: Bartolomeo Scappi, Opera dell’arte del cucinare (1570)
Modern Redaction: Jennifer Bishop (with homemade bacon courtesy of Dan Parker!)
Serves: 16
Tags: Renaissance, Appetizer, Pork, SCA Feast
📜 The Original and Modern Translation
Scappi’s Original (1570)
Friggasi [le fette di pane] in butiro, overo in lardo liquefatto, et habbiasi barbaglia di porco tagliata in fette, overo presciutto, et soffrigganosi nella padella con cipollette battute, et cime di salvia, et come saranno soffritte, pongasi in esse un poco di aceto, et mosto cotto, over zuccaro, et pepe, et cannella, dandovi una calda, et habbianosi apparecchiate le fette del pane nel piatto bagnate con un poco di grasso caldo, et pongansi sopra la barbaglia o il presciutto, con l’altre materie, et servansi calda.
Modern Translation
Fry the bread in butter or melted lard. Slice the pork jowl or prosciutto and sauté in a pan with spring onions and sage tips. When done, add a little vinegar, reduced must or sugar, pepper and cinnamon; heat well. Arrange the toasted, greased bread slices on a platter, top with the jowl or prosciutto and the sauce, and serve hot.
🥄 Modern Recipe (Serves 16)
Ingredients
- 1 12-inch baguette—sliced into 3/4-inch slices on a diagonal
- 8 thin slices prosciutto (or homemade bacon), halved
- 1 leek or spring onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp dried or fresh minced sage
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp mosto cotto (grape must syrup)
- Extra-virgin olive oil or melted lard for frying
Instructions
- Toast the baguette slices in a skillet with olive oil or lard until golden and crisp. Set aside.
- Sauté the prosciutto or bacon with the sliced leek and sage until lightly browned.
- Add vinegar, sugar, water, mosto cotto, pepper, and cinnamon. Simmer until the liquid thickens slightly into a sauce.
- Arrange toasted bread slices on a serving platter. Spoon the meat mixture and sauce over each slice. Serve warm.
🍇 Bonus Recipe: Mosto Cotto (Grape Must Syrup)
Yield: About 1 small jar
- 4 pounds fresh grapes (any dark variety)
- Wash grapes and remove them from the stems. Crush to extract juice (use a food mill, juicer, or your hands).
- Strain juice through a fine mesh sieve or muslin to remove skins and seeds.
- Pour the juice into a heavy-bottomed pot and simmer gently until reduced by one-third.
- The syrup should be thick and coat a spoon. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Pour into sterilized jars. Some age it up to 24 months, but it's ready to use once cooled.
🍽️ Dietary & Service Notes
- Contains: Gluten, Pork, Alliums
- Vegetarian Version: Omit the pork and replace with sautéed mushrooms and walnuts (for feast day adaptation)
- Feast Service: Best served warm on platters, pre-assembled and sauced
- Labels: Antipasti, Appetizer, Renaissance, Pork
