A great Italian-style apéro board comes down to a few things done well: five thinly sliced cured meats, three or four characterful cheeses, bread and grissini — and the right amounts, meaning 100 to 150 g per person. In this guide you'll find the products, the cutting techniques and exact quantities for 6, 12 or 20 guests.
Where the Swiss apéro riche meets the Italian aperitivo
In Switzerland the apéro is an institution: a glass in good company, something tasty eaten standing up, without the formality of a dinner. When the invitation says «apéro riche», the message is clear — people will actually eat, and the board becomes the centre of the table. This is where the Italian aperitivo shines: salumi and cheese need no cooking, are served at room temperature and look spectacular the moment you lay them out.
At LAPA we supply restaurants, pizzerias and hotels across Switzerland every day — over 3,000 Italian products, delivered refrigerated, six days a week. The same salumi and cheeses that end up on restaurant boards can arrive at your home or office too: professional quality, no compromises.
Which 5 salumi does every board need — and how do you slice them?
Five well-chosen salumi beat ten mediocre ones. These five cover the whole flavour range — sweet, savoury, spiced, smoked — and you'll find them all in our Salumi category.
Prosciutto di Parma DOP
The king of the board. Sliced paper-thin, almost transparent, and arranged in soft waves — never laid flat. That keeps it tender and easy to pick up. If you buy it pre-sliced, open the pack half an hour before serving so the fat turns glossy and fragrant again.
Mortadella Bologna IGP
Sweet, delicately perfumed, loved by everyone. For a standing apéro, cut it into cubes for toothpicks; otherwise thin slices folded into quarters. The cubes are always the first thing to disappear.
Salame Milano
The most balanced salami: fine grain, gentle flavour, never left on the plate. Slices of 2–3 mm, cut slightly on the diagonal — more surface, more aroma.
Bresaola della Valtellina IGP
The lean, elegant note on the board. Thin slices, dressed at the last minute with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and Parmigiano shavings. It's also the right choice for guests who don't eat pork.
Speck Alto Adige IGP
Brings the smoky note that rounds off the board. Thin slices or strips to pair with grissini and fruit. Its smoke-and-juniper aroma sits beautifully next to aged cheeses.
Cheeses: from 36-month Parmigiano to burrata
Three or four cheeses are enough, as long as they differ in texture and intensity. This combination never fails:
- Aged Parmigiano Reggiano DOP: broken into irregular chunks with the almond knife, never sliced. Long ageing, up to 36 months, brings the crunchy crystals and the depth that stands up to a serious red.
- Gorgonzola DOP: the creamy blue. Serve it with a spoon, with a little honey or mostarda alongside.
- Pecorino Romano DOP: salty and assertive, in small chunks. The savoury counterpoint that wakes up the palate between glasses.
- Burrata or mozzarella di bufala DOP: the freshness that lightens the board. Open the burrata in the centre of the plate with olive oil and pepper — great theatre, gone in five minutes.
Golden rule: take the cheeses out of the fridge an hour before serving (the burrata, half an hour). Cold cheese has no aroma. Find the full selection in our Cheese category.
The right quantities for 6, 12 and 20 people
The question we get asked most. The rule is simple: for a classic apéro allow about 100 g of salumi and cheese per person; for an apéro riche that replaces dinner, go up to 150–180 g. Here's the ready-made table:
| What | 6 people | 12 people | 20 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salumi (mixed, sliced) | 500 g | 1 kg | 1.6 kg |
| Cheeses (3–4 types) | 400 g | 800 g | 1.3 kg |
| Bread and grissini | 300 g | 600 g | 1 kg |
| Extras (olives, honey, nuts) | 200 g | 400 g | 700 g |
| Wine | 3 bottles | 6 bottles | 10 bottles |
For a late-afternoon office apéro, stick to the classic amounts; on a Friday evening, when nobody is going out for dinner afterwards, be generous with the mortadella and the Parmigiano — they always run out first.
Which wines to pair with the board?
No need to overthink it: three well-chosen bottles cover the whole board.
- Sparkling (Prosecco or Franciacorta): cleanses the palate, perfect with prosciutto and mortadella. This is the wine to open the apéro with.
- Still white of medium structure: accompanies burrata, mozzarella and bresaola without overpowering them.
- Medium-bodied red (Chianti, Barbera): the natural match for salami, speck, pecorino and aged Parmigiano.
With the gorgonzola, to finish in style, a glass of sweet wine. Find our selection in the Wine category.
FAQ — and how to order everything in one delivery
How far in advance can I prepare the board?
You can assemble the board two or three hours ahead, cover it with film and keep it in the fridge. Take it out an hour before your guests arrive: salumi and cheese are at their best at room temperature. Burrata and mozzarella, however, go on at the last minute, fridge-cold.
How much salumi and cheese per person?
For a classic apéro allow 100 g per person across salumi and cheese, plus bread, grissini and a few extras. For an apéro riche that replaces dinner, go up to 150–180 g. Err on the generous side: well-wrapped leftovers are happily eaten the next day.
How do I store the leftovers?
Sliced salumi: film pressed onto the surface, into the fridge, eaten within two or three days. Hard cheeses: food paper, never film directly on the cheese — they keep a week and more. Opened burrata and mozzarella should be eaten the same day, kept in their own water.
Can I order salumi, cheese and wine in a single delivery?
Yes. On lapa.ch add salumi, cheeses and wines to your basket and receive everything together, refrigerated, anywhere in Switzerland, six days a week. Order a couple of days before your apéro and you're all set.