Antipasto Squares

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Blot the giardiniera well with several paper towels to remove excess oil then coarsely chop. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the parmesan, oregano and pepper; set aside.
4. Unfold a sheet of puff pastry onto a piece of parchment paper and gently roll out the seams. Slide the parchment and pastry onto a heavy, rimmed sheet pan.
5. Spread the pesto over the puff pastry in an even, thin layer leaving a clean ½” border all around (the filling will ooze as it bakes, filling in that border).
6. Lay a single layer (in this order) of ham, provolone, pepperoni and mozzarella, on top of the pesto, keeping that ½” border clean. Trim pieces of meat and cheese as needed to fill in any gaps.
7. Scatter the chopped giardiniera over the top and sprinkle with the parmesan mixture.
8. Unfold the second sheet of puff pastry onto another piece of parchment and gently roll out the creases. Poke the pastry all over with a fork.
9. Place the second sheet of pastry on top of the antipasto stack (hole side up), top with the piece of parchment and weigh down with a second sheet pan.
10. Bake the stacked sheet pans for 30 minutes.
11. Remove the top sheet pan and parchment and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
12. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes. If it puffs up during baking, it will deflate while cooling or you could give the puffy parts a gently push to help deflate.
13. Slide the antipasto sheet onto a cutting board, remove the bottom sheet of parchment and trim up the edges, if needed.
14. Slice the stack into 1 to 1½-inch squares while still warm. The best way to do this is to cut through the top layer of pastry with a serrated knife, then switch to a sharp chef’s knife to cut through the stack.
15. Serve the squares warm or room temperature with additional basil pesto.
16. Do ahead: it’s best to assemble the stack several hours ahead and store in the refrigerator tightly wrapped and bake closer to serving time but it can be baked several hours ahead and gently warmed in a 325°F oven. It’s also very good at room temperature.