Old Italian Recipe

Make the creamy filling

In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, ricotta, shredded provolone (or mozzarella), and grated Parmesan. Stir until smooth and uniform. Add minced garlic, dried oregano, black pepper, and sea salt; mix to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Stir in capers if using, then drizzle in olive oil and red wine vinegar and fold gently to create a spreadable, slightly tangy filling.

Pat jarred roasted red peppers dry with paper towel and slice into 12 long strips if whole. Reserve 12 small whole roasted pepper pieces if available for a topped look; otherwise use strips rolled into each shooter.

Drain pepperoncini and pat dry. Leave whole if small; if large, slice into 12 pieces suitable for rolling/stacking.

Wash and dry basil leaves. Choose small leaves that will fit inside each roll.

Lay out one slice of capocollo and one slice of Genoa salami slightly overlapping on a work surface (you can reverse the order so meats overlap short-ways). If slices are large, trim to approximately 4–5 inches wide to create 12 even portions.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of the cheese filling along the near edge of the overlapping meat slices, forming a narrow log of filling along the short edge.

Place a basil leaf and a strip or piece of roasted red pepper and one pepperoncini piece on top of the filling near the edge.

Carefully roll the meat around the filling to form a tight cylinder about 1–1½ inches in diameter. Secure each roll with a toothpick through the center.

Repeat with remaining meat slices and filling to make 12 shooters. If you have extra filling, spoon a small dollop atop finished shooters and sprinkle a little grated Parmesan.

Arrange shooters on a serving platter. Drizzle any remaining olive oil lightly over the rolls and sprinkle with microgreens or chopped parsley for color.

Serve immediately at room temperature or chill up to 30 minutes before serving. These shooters also keep covered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours; bring them to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.