Host Like an Italian: Apericena Menu Ideas for a Memorable Night In

Most people have heard of aperitivo, the Italian evening ritual of enjoying a light snack and a bitter cocktail before dinner.

However, the humble aperitivo has evolved into something else entirely, and these days, a bowl of crisps and a handful of olives just doesn’t cut it.

Apericena is aperitivo’s big brother, and rather than simply whetting the appetite, apericena seeks to satisfy it.

In this article, I’m going to reveal my best tips for hosting an apericena party at home, as well as sharing some delectable apericena menu ideas that will make your guests feel as though they’re truly living La Dolce Vita.

campari and olives — Aperitivo is a simple affair

Table of Contents

What is Apericena?

‘Apericena’ is a relatively modern word that blends two Italian words – aperitivo and cena.

Aperitivo comes from the Latin ‘aperire’ (opener) and the Italian ‘aprire‘ (to open).

Cena means ‘dinner’ in Italian, so an ‘apericena’ is basically an elaborate aperitivo that substitutes dinner altogether.

a table laden with food — Apericena acts as a complete meal

Many bars and restaurants across Italy have embraced the growing appetite (!) for apericena, and have adjusted their offerings accordingly.

For example, instead of charging 6 EUR for a spritz, they will charge 10-15 EUR per drink, but that drink will either be served with a platter of food, or the customer will be able to access an apericena buffet.

Apericena is especially popular with students, who don’t want to go out for a fancy dinner, but need to fill their bellies before a night on the town.

It’s most popular in the north of Italy, but it is growing in popularity throughout the country. Even the Sicilian capital of Palermo has a tonne of dedicated apericena restaurants to choose from (here are my favourite places for apericena in Palermo).

a plate with various things on it, including pasta — A typical apericena plate

Hosting Your Own Apericena Party at Home

While more and more restaurants have their own apericena menus, hosting an apericena party at home is a great idea.

It’s more informal (and less stressful!) than hosting a dinner party, but can still last for the entire evening (unlike hosting an aperitivo, where guests would then leave for dinner).

Below are some of my favourite apericena menu items, based on my time living in Palermo (and a fair bit of time munching my way through Tuscany).

arancino cut in half — Arancino – a deep-fried rice ball stuffed with beef ragu

Apericena Menu Ideas

Apericena drinks

Apericena cocktails are usually low in alcohol and bitter in taste, made to accompany the salty foods.

Popular aperitivo drinks include Aperol, Campari and Cynar.

These can be drunk alone or as a spritz with Prosecco and soda.

Aromatised wines such as Vermouth (Martini Rosso and Martini Bianco are good choices), Chinato and Americano (Campari with sweet Vermouth and soda, garnished with an orange) are also very popular, and you can never go wrong with a simple glass of Prosecco.

If you would like an extra kick, opt for a Negroni, Italy’s most famous classic cocktail. A Negroni is a kind of dark martini with gin, Campari and red vermouth.

aperol spritz with olives — Aperol Spritz is a common aperitivo/apericena drink

Apericena food

While breadsticks and olives might be enough to satisfy people at an aperitivo party, apericena food needs to be a little more substantial.

For this article, I’ve divided my apericena menu recommendations into two categories – basic, and extra-special.

For your apericena party, I suggest choosing a handful from the ‘extra-special’ category, and filling up the space with some things from the ‘basic’ category. You don’t want to only include foods on the ‘basic’ list, because they’re not very filling, and are altogether more suitable for aperitivo.

panzanella — Panzanella – Italian salad made with stale bread

Basic apericena menu items

Cold cuts (salami, mortadella, prosciutto, speck)
Cheese (Parmegiano, Pecorino) and honey
Crostini (spreads can include olive tapenade, truffle cream, pistachio cream, chicken-liver pate)
Bruschetta with tomatoes, garlic, and basil

Caprese salad with tomatoes, basil and Buffalo Mozzarella
Burrata with speck or guanciale
Taralli (crunchy bread rings from Bari)
Olives

Crisps
Salted peanuts
Prosciutto and melon
Grilled vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers)
Sun-dried tomatoes

grilled vegetables - eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers — Typical grilled vegetables that you may find on an apericena table

Pancetta-wrapped figs
Artichokes in oil
Cherry tomatoes with basil and olive oil
Anchovies in oil or vinegar

a jar of anchovy fillets — Anchovies are a simple and tasty addition

Extra-special apericena menu ideas

Caponata (cold eggplant stew, one of the most famous Sicilian dishes)
Arancini (fried rice balls with fillings like ragu or cheese, a common Sicilian street food)
Supplì (the Roman version of arancini)
Polpette (small meatballs)

Grilled zucchini rolls stuffed with ricotta & lemon
Panzerotti (fried mini calzones)
Smoked salmon and cream farfalle with peas
Smoked salmon tartare with avocado & chives on crostini
Pasta with green pesto

green pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes — A pesto pasta salad is a simple and delicious option

Panzanella (Italian bread salad)
Octopus carpaccio with citrus vinaigrette
Parmigiana (baked eggplant with tomato sauce and cheese)
Risotto (try butternut squash with rosemary, walnuts and blue cheese!)

Couscous salad
Polenta
Sfincione (Sicilian pizza bread)
Warm porchetta slices

Panelle (Sicilian chickpea fritters)
Beef carpaccio with parmesan and rocket
Potato croquettes
Cod fritters with lemon and aioli
Bresaola with rocket, shaved parmesan & lemon drizzle

Eggplant involtini (eggplant rolls with ricotta)
Potato wedges with rosemary, salt and olive oil
Mini ‘slider’ burgers (very popular on Sicilian apericena plates)
Poached pears with Gorgonzola and hazelnuts
Citrus salad with honey & pistachios

Do’s and Don’ts of hosting an apericena party

Do: explain to guests what an ‘apericena’ is so that they don’t eat beforehand or make dinner plans for afterwards. If they turn up expecting a simple aperitivo, they might be taken by surprise at the amount of food on offer!
Don’t: worry about things being ‘perfect.’ Apericenas should be an informal affair, meaning that all the food should be piled on one table, the plates and glasses don’t need to match (Italians usually use paper plates), and there’s nothing wrong with people standing as they eat or balancing their plate on their knee.

friends pouring one another a glass of wine — Apericena parties should be relaxed and informal

Do: set the scene. You don’t need elaborate decorations, but a bunch of fresh flowers, some blankets scattered around, and a few flickering tealights will create the perfect ambience.
Don’t: act as a bartender. The drinks bottles should all be laid out in the middle of the table for people to make their own. Always have a few bottles of Prosecco, soda water, Aperol, and Campari.
Do: mix cold platters, warm bites, and crunchy snacks for variety. You should also vary textures: creamy cheeses, crunchy breadsticks, soft focaccia, and juicy veggies.
Do: include vegetarian options.

cherry tomatoes — The simplest food is often the most delicious

Apericena | Final Thoughts

I hope that this article had given you plenty of ideas for your apericena menu.

The biggest takeaway is that apericena is not something that you should overthink.

It’s an informal get together, where people enjoy good company, good drinks, and good food, and as long as people leave with full bellies and smiles on their faces at the end of the night, you’ve done a good job.

Of course, there is no one size fits all to apericena menus. Italian cuisine varies wildly from region to region, and an apericena from Pisa will be very different to an apericena from Naples. If you want to prepare a very specific apericena menu then I suggest researching typical antipasti from your chosen region.