Ahh, aperitivo. The word brings back so many great memories from past trips to Italy. A glorious culinary tradition usually held between 7-9 pm, it’s a time when Italians gather on cobblestone patios, sip wine or cocktails and nibble on mouthwatering bites to ignite their appetites before dinner. Although aperitivo culture is mainly a northern Italian tradition (my first aperitivo was in Milan), it’s popularity has spread across the country (my most recent aperitivo was in Rome) so you’ll find the “happy hour” just about everywhere in Italy now.
Of course my preference would be to enjoy authentic Italian products in their native homeland, but the current global climate has me dreaming up alternative ways to bring the flavours into my own home. Hosting aperitivo hour in the backyard has been my favourite idea so far so I thought I’d share some tips/suggestions below.
But before I do that, let me share the most important point to remember: never ever compromise when it comes to the authenticity and quality of the products you serve. Trust me, it’s not worth it. You guys know I’ve always championed quality, authenticity and tradition, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I harp on this point (remember my Prosciutto di Parma post?!), but since it’s so integral I thought I’d flag again! Using authentic, PDO-certified products (Protected Designation of Origin/DOP in Italian) is the key to a successful virtual escape via your palate. There are many imitations out there so look for the PDO logo to guarantee authenticity and quality.
How To Host Aperitivo Hour In Your Backyard
Aperitivo hour can be as simple or intricate as you’d like. Sometimes I just serve a few quality cheeses and meats along with cocktails on our patio and other times I go all out. While decor and music are optional, high quality ingredients are not…
What Kind Of Food To Serve For Aperitivo Hour
In my opinion, the food is the most important part of any aperitivo hour so I recommend selecting a few authentic, PDO-certified products and building out your menu from there. For the three dishes below, I decided to feature:
Prosciutto di San Daniele PDO – Produced in North Eastern Italy, this prosciutto is all-natural and dry cured for at least 13 months. TIP: ask your deli clerk to show you the San Daniele “SD” branding on the skin of the ham to ensure authenticity. Get them to thinly slice the prosciutto and make sure they don’t trim too much fat because you’ll lose the melt-in-your-mouth effect!
Prosciutto di Parma PDO – Also called Parma Ham, this air-cured prosciutto is aged for at least 400 days. TIP: ask your deli clerk to show you the fire-branded Parma Crown on the leg of the prosciutto. If buying pre-sliced, look for the black triangle with the gold Parma Crown.
Grana Padano PDO – Made via the same traditional methods used by monks who created the cheese over a thousand years ago, this is Italy’s most popular hard grating cheese. It’s exclusively produced in Padano and can age over 24 months. TIP: look for the fire-branded logo on the cheese to make sure it’s authentic!
The number of dishes you can whip up using PDO-certified products are literally endless, but here are three impressive (yet easy) ideas that I think are just perfect for aperitivo hour:
1. Asparagus, Prosciutto di San Daniele and Grana Padano
Grill fresh asparagus on high heat for 10 minutes, wrap with Prosciutto di San Daniele and shave Grana Padano cheese on top. That’s it! You can serve them in bouquets like I’ve done above, or individually wrap each sprig of asparagus with Prosciutto di San Daniele if you’d prefer finger foods that don’t require cutlery. You can also drizzle with balsamic reduction if you’d like, but I think the three ingredients are perfect as they are.
2. Grilled Figs, Prosciutto di Parma and Grana Padano
Cut fresh figs in half, wrap with Prosciutto di Parma, skewer and grill on the BBQ over high heat for approximately 7 mins. Remove from skewers, place on a bed of arugula, shave some Grana Padano on top and drizzle with reduced balsamic. You can also skip the arugula and serve these on a charcuterie board as a finger food. Grilling is key here as it will caramelize the sugars inside the fig which will bubble around the prosciutto and make your tastebuds very happy.
3. An Authentic Italian Charcuterie Board
You know what makes me sad? A charcuterie board made using imitation products. If you’re going to put together a beautiful grazing board, please seek out authentic PDO-certified products. I featured Prosciutto di San Daniele (but you can always use Prosciutto di Parma as well) and Grana Padano on mine along with authentic Italian olives, honey, apricot jam, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and a few other ingredients I purchased at Eataly. The more colours and textures you have on your board, the better!
What Kind Of Drinks To Serve For Aperitivo Hour
You’ll find Italians sipping on wine, Campari and different varieties of spritzes during aperitivo. Vermouth-based drinks are also popular. My favourite? The Aperol Spritz! Although the recipe on the back of the bottle calls for equal parts Aperol and Prosecco with a splash of soda, I like to add more Prosecco and soda to make the cocktail a bit lighter. It’s such a treat and a gorgeous, vibrant drink!
Hope this post inspires you to host an aperitivo hour in your backyard or home. Remember, it doesn’t need to be complicated. All you need is good company, drinks and authentic Italian ingredients. Buon appetito!
A huge thanks to Icons of European Taste for sponsoring this post. As you guys know, I already love and buy these ingredients regularly so I highly recommend them all!
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