So often, the tourist experience of a city like Rome is just a slice of what local life is really like. The idea of a sun-drenched Colosseum and Vespa rides may be pretty, but they’re not the full story. With their Sydney restaurant Cicerone Cucina Romana, co-owners Isabella Daniali and Roman-born Stefano De Caro have tried to show off a different side of Italy’s historic capital.
“In Rome, the underground scene is very heavy – graffiti, skateboards, stuff like that,” says De Caro. “Now, people come and take photos of the contrast between the monuments and the graffiti. It’s a cool contrast, and we wanted to bring that side of Rome [to Cicerone Cucina Romana] and try to explain it to people.”
A part of that authentic Italian experience that doesn’t always translate to Australians is aperitivo – a pre-dinner ritual of drinks and snacks that’s as much about the social occasion as anything. “Aperitivo in Rome, it’s every day,” says De Caro. “At 7pm, everyone needs to be at aperitivo – it’s more important to go to aperitivo than dinner.”
While aperitivo culture doesn’t exist here the same way as in Rome (we’re likely to kick things off a little earlier, for a start), it’s easy to bring the idea into our homes, as a way of entertaining in the warmer summer months.
“It’s just a way to bring people together,” says Daniali. “Everything is on platters, everything’s served on the table or out on the deck. There’s beautiful drinks, heaps of ice, it’s very relaxed and easygoing. You’re just grazing, chatting, laughing and telling stories.”
For Daniali and De Caro, hosting aperitivo hour at home means bringing together just a few easy dishes and drinks. For those snacks, you can do something as simple as a bowl of salted peanuts (which De Caro says is the ubiquitous option at every aperitivo in Rome) or get a little more creative and substantial – especially if you’re rolling aperitivo into dinner time. “In Rome, they give you a plate of their focaccia, a salumi plate, and they give you fried olives stuffed with meat,” says De Caro.
If you’re planning on hosting your own aperitivo with this sort of spread, De Caro has some advice. “Everything needs to be cut very thinly – prosciutto, mortadella and salami,” he says. “And, usually, I get lots of olives of different types. I get them pitted, and I usually stuff them with pork and veal.”
Whatever your choice of nibbles, it’s the drinks that are central when it comes to aperitivo. Daniali recommends light, easy drinks like Campari and soda or orange juice, as well as aperitivo classics like the Negroni – an easy-to-make blend of gin, Campari and vermouth. If you really want to lean into the classic Roman aperitivo style though, mix up some fresh and simple spritzes.
“What I used to do all the time – Sanpellegrino Aranciata Rossa blood orange, I used to mix with prosecco and a splash of amaro. It can be any amaro, a lot of ice, and orange peel,” De Caro says. The refreshing, medium-bodied sparkling drink is made with a mix of sun-ripened oranges and blood oranges, complemented by a delicate sweetness. “I used to make that, I remember, because my grandmother, that’s the drink that she used to make at home.”
With just a few snacks and some refreshing spritzes laid out, it’s easy to host a simple and authentic aperitivo at home. And, while the Italian tradition might be to start later (7pm for dinner at 9, according to De Caro), the Australian twist is to start earlier while the sun is shining.
“It’s such a nice thing to do in the summer in Sydney,” says Daniali. “Just afternoons with your friends, super chill, not much cooking involved. It’s beautiful.”
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Sanpellegrino.
Produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Sanpellegrino
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Dining and Cooking