Cicchetti: Artichoke with Speck

I am obsessed with this book POLPO, featuring cicchetti (Venetian snacks).

I have made almost every single crostini in the book, except the pickled radicchio w/ cottechino (that's next if I can find that special sausage).

In Venice, cicchetti (pronounced chi-KET-tee), are little snacks, like aperitivo, and they are served in Venetian wine bars, known as bacaro, sort of like an osteria.

These little treasures are mostly served on bread along with wine, eaten after work, before you go home for dinner.

Sounds good to me.

Here, I made a quick snack of canned artichokes rolled with speck, which is smoked prosciutto from Northern Italy, flavored with juniper.

I added the basil leaf and piece of fresh mozzarella, because I can!

Next time, I would skip the cheese, it was a bit too big of a bite even for my mouth!

Sprinkle w/ sea salt & pepper and drizzle with some good olive oil just before serving.

Everyone loved these, and they were so simple!

Perfect for Friday night snacks.