Salt cod, a favorite in Spain, is folded into a warm mashed potatoes that are spiked with garlic and smoothed with olive oil. Perfect for hors d’oeuvre.

Plump, juicy scallops are wrapped in Italian ham and grilled to perfection. On top are dollops of an artichoke pesto. An excellent hors d’oeuvre.

Golgappas, are a popular street food in India. In this recipe they’re served as a tapa. To eat, just pop one in your mouth and then drink the soup.

What’s not to like? Slices of sweet potatoes are fried and seasoned with salt and minced rosemary. These homemade potato chips are utterly addictive.

Red peppers and goat cheese make this savory cheesecake perfect as an appetizer. With an apricot topping, it’s much more than just another cheese course.

These bite-sized puff pastry hors d’oeuvres are filled with smoked salmon, a creamy sauce, horseradish, dill, and capers.

Roll up these Greek fillings of lamb and mint or feta cheese and olives in phyllo dough purchased from your grocery store. A simple party appetizer.

This crispy flatbread owes its cheesy flavor to Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Roll the dough by hand or through a pasta machine for a thin, crunchy texture.

Brie is sliced horizontally and stuffed with a cream cheese, chutney and nut mixture. A sprinkling of almonds completes this decadent party appetizer

Crisp and buttery, these German bacon cookies are found in pastry shops across Germany. Easy to make, smoky bacon provides a savory salty taste.

Portuguese and Spanish ingredients–port wine, paprika, cilantro, and olive oil–flavor this tapas recipe. Serve these as nibbles or an appetizer.

Balsamic vinegar and soy sauce flavor the duxelles, a spread of finely chopped and sauteed mushrooms. Puff pastry makes the pizza a snap to assemble.

Mini veal meatballs are swathed in creamy, sweet caramelized onions. These mini meatballs are made with some pork for a deep flavor and can be prepared ahead. Definitely party food.

Versatile eggplant does appetizer duty as a mini pizza crust covered with sweet and smoky barbecue sauce, balsamic vinegar, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Shredded curried chicken is spooned into radicchio cups for a sweet-hot bite of chicken deliciousness. Serves these chicken cups as a party nibble.

Your guests will want seconds of these crisp thin triangles of herb infused flatbread. A pasta machine is the secret to rolling out thin sheets of dough.

by Diane Rossen Worthington
from Seriously Simple Holidays
(Chronicle Books, 2007)
Serves 6 to 8
Sounds a bit like a twist on rumaki? I first tasted this classic Spanish appetizer at a wonderful restaurant in Los Angeles, called AOC, that specializes in tapas. At once sweet, smoky, and salty, the little brown nuggets are a crowd pleaser, the perfect [...]

A quick and handy snack, these roasted peanuts are coated with sweet paprika and cayenne pepper and baked in an oven long enough to toast the spices.

Deep frying these spring roll wrappers filled with chicken and Asian spices results in a light, flaky crust. Cool them off in the cilantro and yogurt dip.

Thick, sweet caramelized onions flavored with grenadine and tangy sherry vinegar make a savory marmalade. Serve at lunch on bread with a green salad.

These irresistible croquettes, made with ham and chicken, are a favorite in Spanish tapas bars. A great hors d’oeuvre, after-school snack, or nibble.

Stilton, the famous blue cheese, gets rolled up into a puff pastry pinwheel and topped with walnuts and honey for a sensuous, rich tasting appetizer.

These pinwheels are easy to make ahead of time for a satisfying appetizer. Use Stracchino, an Italian cheese, or substitute a different, fresh soft cheese.

Idiazábal, smoked Spainish cheese, is marinated in a rosemary-thyme-infused oil seasoned with garlic and black pepper. A simple snack or tapas.

For this Spanish tapas recipe, briny green olives are stuffed with roasted sweet peppers and anchovies. Sweet-salty deliciousness. A great tapas treat.