Cobblestone Courtyard Platter (Printable)

An elegant arrangement of crackers and assorted olives that mimics an old European cobblestone street.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crackers

01 - 36–40 round crackers (water crackers, multigrain, or rice crackers)

→ Olives

02 - 1 cup assorted pitted olives (Castelvetrano, Kalamata, black)

→ Garnishes (optional)

03 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, or rosemary)
04 - ¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
05 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Select a large serving platter or charcuterie board to serve as the courtyard base.
02 - Place the round crackers closely together in a random, overlapping pattern to emulate cobblestones.
03 - Fill the gaps between crackers with assorted pitted olives, arranging them snugly to simulate mortar.
04 - Optionally sprinkle chopped fresh herbs and crumbled cheese over the arrangement.
05 - Drizzle extra virgin olive oil lightly over the top for enhanced flavor and sheen.
06 - Present immediately as a visual and edible centerpiece.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like edible art but takes just 10 minutes, so you can spend time with your guests instead of in the kitchen.
  • Everyone becomes a participant, picking olives and crackers in whatever pattern feels right to them.
  • The simplicity means you can dress it up with fancy cheeses or keep it humble with just what you have on hand.
02 -
  • Pit your olives ahead of time—biting into a surprise pit will break the spell you've worked to create, and it's an easy step to do calmly before guests arrive.
  • The secret to a believable cobblestone effect is variation in both cracker size and olive placement; perfection looks false, but gentle chaos feels timeless.
03 -
  • Arrange everything on the platter no more than 30 minutes before serving; this keeps the crackers crisp and the olives glistening.
  • If you're nervous about the arrangement, remember that a rustic, slightly imperfect cobblestone pattern looks far more authentic than anything too carefully placed.
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