RESTAURANT REPLICAS: ANTIPASTO LIKE A PRO.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Italian dining establishments and trattorias offer an array of antipasto menu selections with varying twists. Zucca, one of the newest Italian restaurants in downtown Los Angeles, is no exception.

Today we offer replica versions of four enticing antipasti from Zucca. Among them are a layered tomato-and-mozzarella tower with Parmesan tuiles and pesto sauce; grilled shrimp with cannellini beans; an array of crostini creations; and a pizza with caramelized onions, ham and smoked mozzarella. All are terrific - and easy enough for home cooks to manage with our facsimiles.

Designed by the restaurant's Sicilian-born executive chef Giancarlo Gottardo, who grew up in Milan, the dishes reflect his simple and sophisticated Italian/Mediterranean cooking style with its Sicilian and Northern overtones and emphasis on the highest quality, fresh seasonal ingredients, both domestic and imported. The 34-year old Gottardo admits he is not into fancy cooking, but is concerned about the attention to detail in the presentation of the food and service.

Our copycat versions, based on sampling the original creations at the restaurant, have been streamlined for the home kitchen. While none is difficult to assemble, some require more time to execute. For instance, one recipe necessitates cooking up a balsamic reduction, another making Parmesan cheese tuiles and another whipping up some caramelized onions.

For convenience and ease, we've shortcut some of the steps by using store-bought pesto sauce, pizza dough (now available in 1-pound balls at Trader Joe's), jarred marinara sauce, bagged and washed arugula and more - something no doubt Zucca would never do.

With these ideas - and your own antipasto platter combinations - consider hosting a casual, relaxed summer antipasto party or buffet outdoors when you don't feel like cooking up a full-blown feast. Antipasto spreads are also a good choice for picnic feasts. For either, you can set out the food and let guests help themselves - a great way to entertain family and friends.

Although Italians eat antipasto mostly before the small pasta course, sometimes they make a full meal out of antipasto, notes Gottardo, adding that in Italy some restaurants specialize in and serve only antipasto.

If you plan to supplement party plans with antipasto platters (most of which require no cooking), Gottardo suggests attractively arranging them with assortments of marinated and grilled vegetables, roasted red peppers, seafood salads, caponata, cheeses, prosciutto, salamis, sausages, a variety of olives, marinated baby artichoke hearts, fava beans, tomato halves topped with anchovies, a few baby greens and more.

Meanwhile, give these replica appetizers a whirl. Any one or all would make delicious summer luncheon, dinner or buffet fare.

GRILLED SHRIMP WITH CANNELLINI BEANS AND ARUGULA

Feel free to use uncooked or cooked peeled and deveined shrimp (we used frozen, thawed). Just be sure not to overcook so it doesn't end up rubbery. We've opted to use canned beans, but cook your own from scratch like the restaurant does if you have the time. Cook the sweet balsamic reduction while you're preparing the rest of the dish.

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

16 to 24 colossal OR jumbo uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp (leave tails on)

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and garlic pepper

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and well drained

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped onions

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Arugula leaves OR mixed baby greens (about 1/1/2 to 2 cups)

In an 8-inch skillet, combine balsamic vinegar, sugar and red wine vinegar; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium or medium-high and cook, watching carefully, until reduced and somewhat thickened (but still pourable), about 5 to 6 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Quickly grill or pan-grill (in 1 tablespoon oil over high heat in 2 batches) shrimp, turning once, until done (and shrimp turn pink); sprinkle with salt and garlic pepper. Meanwhile, combine beans, 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, tomatoes, onions, basil, parsley and salt and garlic pepper to taste.

To serve, place a handful of arugula leaves in center of each of 4 dinner plates. Place 1/4 of bean mixture atop leaves on each plate. Place several arugula leaves atop beans. Top beans on each plate with 4 to 6 shrimp, arranging as desired. Drizzle plate, around bean mixture, with balsamic vinegar reduction. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

SMOKED MOZZARELLA, HAM AND CARAMELIZED ONION PIZZA

Use homemade or store-bought pizza dough (it's available in 1-pound balls at Trader Joe's now which will make one pizza). If you can't find rosemary ham, substitute smoked or black forest ham or even turkey ham. If you're not a rosemary fan, top the pizza with a sprinkling of chopped fresh basil.

DOUGH:

1 package active dry yeast

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

FILLING:

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, sliced and then chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup marinara sauce

1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup chopped rosemary ham OR smoked OR black forest ham

2 Roma tomatoes, juice squeezed out and chopped

Fresh rosemary sprigs, some chopped up OR 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

To make Dough, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Set aside. Dissolve sugar and salt in remaining 1 cup water. Stir yeast and oil into sugar and salt mixture, then stir in flour until a stiff dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, knead until no longer sticky, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth; let stand 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make Filling. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion and sugar and heat over high heat, stirring 2 to 3 minutes or until starting to turn golden. Cover and cook over medium heat, about 4 to 5 minutes, until golden, stirring and checking often.

When dough is ready, divide into 2 equal parts. Refrigerate or freeze one part for later use. Roll or stretch remaining dough portion into a 12- inch circle on a floured surface and place on a greased 12-inch pizza pan or baking sheet.

Spread dough with marinara sauce. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella, ham, tomatoes and caramelized onions. Bake in preheated 450-degree oven about 15 to 18 minutes or until dough is golden brown at edges and on bottom. Sprinkle with sprigs and chopped fresh rosemary. Cut into slices to serve. Makes 1 pizza.

NOTE: If a thinner crust is desired, use 1/3 of dough recipe above (instead of 1/2) for one pizza. Or use 3/4 of a 1-pound package of store-bought dough.

TOMATO CHEESE TOWER WITH PESTO SAUCE

Reminiscent of a caprese salad, Zucca layers tomato and fresh mozzarella slices with Parmesan tuiles (thin crisp cheese wafers that have been prepared in a nonstick skillet). Although the tuiles aren't difficult to prepare, they can be a bit tricky. Ours didn't come out as crisp as the restaurant's and were a bit tough. If you choose, skip them altogether and make the tower without them, adding a large basil leaf atop each tomato slice instead. Make the pesto mixture (ours is somewhat different than Zucca's, but you get the same effect) just before serving to avoid it turning an unappealing color.

3/4 cup (about) grated Parmesan cheese

2 large beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 3/8- to 1/2-inch thick slices

1 (8-ounce) ball fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese (cut off four 3/8- to 1/2-inch slices; refrigerate remainder for another use)

2 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce (homemade OR store-bought)

2 tablespoons water

12 fresh basil leaves

To make Parmesan tuiles (or wafers), sprinkle 1 3/4 to 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese in a 4-inch circle in a small, hot nonstick skillet that has been rubbed with olive oil (use a paper towel). Heat about 10 seconds, until crisp, then turn over (with fingers dipped in ice water or with a spatula) and crisp until golden on second side, about 7 to 10 seconds. Remove to foil-lined pan to cool. Repeat with remaining cheese; you need 6 tuiles total.

Meanwhile, cut a thin slice off top and bottom of each large tomato and save for another use; slice each tomato into 3 (3/8- to 1/2-inch) thick slices (if you have extra tomato, use at a later time). Cut 4 slices off cheese ball.

In a small food processor, combine pesto sauce, water and 8 basil leaves; process until well blended.

To assemble each of 2 towers: Place a tomato slice in center of a dinner size serving plate. Top with a cheese tuile, then a mozzarella cheese slice. Repeat with a tomato slice, cheese tuile, mozzarella slice, tomato and cheese tuile. Garnish top with remaining basil leaves. Drizzle pesto on plate around tower (can also drizzle some on top of cheese slices in tower, if desired). Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings (if halved, would serve 4).

QUARTET OF CROSTINI

Serve a platter filled with four different varieties of crostini - or just make your favorites. Prepare toppings in advance, but toast bread and assemble just prior to serving.

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

Salt and black pepper

1/3 cup goat cheese, softened

Extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pitted coarsely chopped green olives

1/4 cup pitted coarsely chopped Kalamata olives

1 tablespoon drained capers 

16 (1/4-inch thick) Italian OR French bread slices (from a baguette, flute OR Italian ciabatta), brushed with olive oil flavored with chopped or pressed garlic

4 thin wedges peeled Roma tomatoes

8 arugula leaves

4 thin slices bresaola (air-dried, salt cured beef) OR prosciutto

Combine ricotta and mascarpone cheeses and salt and pepper to taste, mixing until well blended. Mix goat cheese with 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil and a few dashes pepper. Mix olives, capers and 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil.

Place bread slices (brushed with garlic flavored oil) on a foil-lined baking sheet. Toast in a preheated 350-degree oven about 4 to 5 minutes, until crisp. Remove from oven and cool a few minutes.

Spoon ricotta mixture atop 4 toast slices. Top with sprinkling of black pepper. Spread goat cheese on another 4 toast slices. Top each with a tomato wedge. Top another 4 toast slices with olive mixture. Top remaining toast slices with arugula leaves and bresaola.

Arrange on a large serving platter. Or serve each diner an individual plate with the 4 different kinds (one of each). Makes 4 servings.

NOTE: Toast slices can be halved, if desired, and recipe will make 8 servings.

CAPTION(S):

6 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) antipasti de resistance!

Zucca restaurant inspires four starter replicas

(2 -- color) Giancarlo Gottardo, right, Zucca's executive chef, designed the restaurant's antipasti selections, four of which we've copied for home cooks to try.

(3 -- color) GRILLED SHRIMP WITH CANNELLINI BEANS AND ARUGULA

(4 -- color) SMOKED MOZZARELLA, HAM AND CARAMELIZED ONION PIZZA

(5 -- color) TOMATO CHEESE TOWER WITH PESTO SAUCE

(6 -- color) QUARTET OF CROSTINI

John Lazar/Staff Photographer