in Italian cuisine, a first course or appetizer (q.v.). In the home, cured or smoked meats and sausages, olives, salted anchovies, sardines, fresh or pickled vegetables, shellfish, peppers, and cheeses are favoured, while restaurant presentations add to these elaborate prepared dishes such as seafood salads, stuffed mushrooms, vitello tonnato (cold braised veal in tuna mayonnaise), and the like.