Term meaning before the meal and used to describe appetizers.
If matter and anti-matter come into contact with one another, they are annihilated in a cataclysmic explosion. The same, fortunately, is not true of antipasto and pasta: although antipasto, a cold hors d’oeuvre, is intended to be served before pasta, the two may, if need be, safely occupy the same plate. In truth, however, the pasto in antipasto has no relation to the word pasta; the Greek word paste, meaning barley porridge, is the source of pasta, while pasto derives from the Latin pastus, meaning food, which in turn derives from the Latin pascere, meaning to feed. Likewise, the anti of antipasto really has no relation to the anti of antimatter: originally the hors d’oeuvre’s name was spelt antepast, but in time the Latin prefix ante, meaning before, came to be spelt as if it were the more common Greek prefix anti, meaning against. Thus, the first part of antipasto is related to words like antecedent, meaning something going before, and antediluvian, meaning before the flood. On the other hand, the last part of antipasto is related to words that also derive from the Latin pascere; these include repast (meaning to feed again), pasture (a place where domestic animals feed), and pastor (a clergyman who gives spiritual food to his “flock”). Through sheer coincidence, these words are also related to the word pasteurize, the process of sterilizing milk invented by Louis Pasteur whose surname is the French form of pastor. Of these words, repast, pasture, and pastor are the oldest, having been adopted by English in the late fourteenth century; antepast, the original form of antipasto, appeared in the late sixteenth century, while the more Italian sounding antipasto did not appear in English till 1934.
Translated directly from Italian, the term “antipasto” refers to the initial course of an Italian supper, usually served before the main meal. This course commonly comprises hors d’oeuvres such as salami, anchovies, and pickled relishes, as well as other bite-sized foods that are meant to whet the appetite.
In Italy, it is customary to serve a dish before the main course, known as an antipasto. This dish is typically composed of an array of fish, cold meats, and vegetables, which are artfully arranged and presented in an appealing manner. The purpose of an antipasto is to whet the appetite and prepare the palate for the flavors to come in the main course. While the specific ingredients and presentation of an antipasto can vary depending on the region and the occasion, it is a cherished tradition in Italian cuisine and is enjoyed by many.