I'm making a braciole on Sat. for 6 foodie friends but can't decide what I should make for an appetizer and 1st course. Can you help?

To best answer that question,I need to know what you are serving with the braciole. Were I doing it, I would serve the br. w/ a shiitake risotto and chard or kale sauteed with garlic and served with lemon.The latter as a clean acidic note contra the richness of the other 2 dishes. Before the beef brac. etc, I would serve a salad with some crunchy fresh textural notes: hazelnuts, pine nuts, or walnuts, sliced fennel and/or jerusalem artichokes(no cheese bec. you have that w/ the rich risotto to follow)and possibly a red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar based dressing ; keep it light and refreshing, not salty and rich(cheeses and salumi)because of what is to come. By appetizer, do you mean hors d'oeuvre to have with drinks? If so, i still say to stay away from charcuterie and cheeses
(the entree plate will be plenty salty; you don't want to be drinking water the rest of the night). Maybe some roasted vegetables and some eggplant caponata and/or white bean spread with good bread.

Appetizer: Truffle popcorn. (It makes people crazy.) I'd probably also do bagna caudal, but there's never anything left of the truffle popcorn.
First course: Risotto with carmelized fennel, orange zest and salt-cured olives.
The escarole salad would be great after the braciole.

How about an escarole salad with a garlic-anchovy dressing?

To accompany braciole, I'd like an antipasto of mostly vegetables. and for a first course, I'd sauce some linguine with the tomato sauce you cooked the braciole in. Broccoli rape for a veggie, because its sharpness contrasts so well with the sweetness in the sauce.

I would do an antipasti, assorted cured italian meats,, roasted and pickled vegetables, cheese, and some good rustic Italian bread. I love a good antipasti and it goes well with any great Italian meal, I just love braciole!!