Cobblestone Courtyard Appetizer (Printable)

A charming platter of round crackers and assorted olives arranged like cobblestones for a flavorful bite.

# Ingredient List:

→ Crackers

01 - 36-40 round crackers (water, multigrain, or rice crackers)

→ Olives

02 - 1 cup assorted pitted olives (Castelvetrano, Kalamata, black)

→ Garnishes (optional)

03 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, or rosemary)
04 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
05 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Select a large serving platter or charcuterie board to serve as the courtyard base.
02 - Place the round crackers closely together in a random, overlapping pattern to resemble cobblestones.
03 - Fill the gaps between the crackers with assorted olives, tucking them snugly to simulate mortar.
04 - Optionally, sprinkle the chopped fresh herbs and cheese crumbles evenly over the arrangement.
05 - Drizzle extra virgin olive oil lightly over the platter to enhance flavor and sheen.
06 - Present immediately as an interactive and visually appealing appetizer centerpiece.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks stunning without requiring any cooking skill, which means you can impress people while barely lifting a finger.
  • The whole platter comes together in ten minutes, making it perfect for those moments when someone texts asking what you're bringing to dinner.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and can easily accommodate gluten-free or vegan diets, so it welcomes everyone to the table.
02 -
  • Pitting your olives beforehand transforms this from a pleasant nibble into something people can actually relax and enjoy without fumbling around stones.
  • The magic is in the mix—varying the sizes and colors of both crackers and olives makes the pattern feel authentically aged and intentional rather than too-perfect and staged.
03 -
  • Assemble this no more than an hour or two before serving so the crackers stay crisp and the olives don't start releasing their brine and softening everything.
  • If you want to get ahead, arrange everything on the platter earlier and simply drizzle the olive oil and add fresh herbs right before guests arrive for maximum freshness and shine.
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