Bridal showers should be fun and relaxing for the bride, but this doesn t mean that her bridesmaids have to stress too much. There are ways to make a bridal shower appear elegant and elaborate without requiring a lot of effort by the hostesses.

One way to do this is to simplify the bridal shower food. Rather than providing a full meal for guests, why not have a variety of Italian appetizers? They offer guests a variation of food options, and they are easy to eat since they don’t require sitting at a table with a fork and knife. Paired with an assortment of wines and arranged on nice serving dishes, these Italian appetizers can make a stylish and tasty statement.

One particularly popular appetizer is bruschetta. Thanks to Volpi Foods, America’s oldest and most prestigious manufacturer of authentic Italian meat products, there’s a way to make bruschetta simpler and even more delicious. Volpi produces Italian traditional rotola, which is thinly sliced prosciutto hand-rolled in whole milk mozzarella. Volpi s Basil Rotola, a variation on the original that includes fresh basil leaves among the layers of mozzarella, is the basis for a crowd-pleasing bruschetta recipe.

To make this bruschetta, first pre-heat the broiler on low. Take one loaf of French bread, and cut vertical slices about one half inch thick. Put the bread slices on a cookie sheet, then place in the broiler to lightly toast. Once the bread is toasted to a light golden brown, take them out of the oven and spread a thin layer of basil pesto on top of each slice. Cut one package of Volpi Basil Rotola into thin slices, and place one slice onto each piece of bread. To make them into mini pizzas, add the pesto and rotola slices to the bread slices before toasting them to let the mozzarella melt a bit.

Warm and satisfying, this modern take on the Italian traditional bruschetta recipe saves time in the kitchen and makes an exciting addition to bridal shower menus. The combination of mozzarella, prosciutto and the basil, garlic and pine nuts in the pesto creates a flavor that will transport you to Tuscany with the first bite. Suggested beverage pairings include dry sparkling wine or Pinot Grigio wine.

With additional variations such as Sun Dried Tomato, Hot Salami and Hot Capocolla, Volpi Rotola can also be an Italian appetizer in itself. All you have to do is arrange the rotola slices with some crackers and olives for an appealing antipasto platter.

Remember, you don t have to be a chef to prepare fantastic bridal shower food, and there s no need to hire a caterer. Delight your guests and the bride with Italian appetizers that are easy to make and impressive to serve.

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