Aperitivo at home: 5 recipes to re-create Italy’s relaxing pre-dinner ritual in your kitchen

Several years ago, some friends and I got together and made homemade Limoncello. We peeled 25 lemons, added lots of sugar and (of course) vodka, then waited 30 days for it to be ready.

I gave most of mine away as gifts but saved one for myself. It has been in my freezer ever since waiting for a special occasion. Well, my bottle will wait no more.

I was just in Italy and my drink of choice on the trip was a Limoncello Spritz, and I can’t wait to make it at home.

Italians have a wonderful tradition called aperitivo, or welcoming the evening and unwinding from the work day.

Traditionally offered from 6 to 8 p.m., aperitivo is served 1 to 2 hours before dinner and includes finger food-type snacks and a cocktail. Most often that cocktail was a spritz of some kind.

Served in large, tall wine glasses, in addition to the Limoncello Spritz, the most common varieties of the drink include the Aperol Spritz and the Hugo Spritz, the latter made with elderflower liqueur. A spritz typically includes Prosecco and club soda along with whatever other flavor you’d like to add.

My drink of choice during these relaxing afternoons was the Limoncello variety. Chilled Limoncello and Prosecco are poured over ice and topped off with some club soda, along with a slice of lemon and sprig of mint. I found it to be refreshing and the perfect complement to the tasty snacks served alongside our drinks.

Every time our group sat down to enjoy aperitivo, I was secretly excited to see what types of snacks would accompany our drinks. The crazy thing is the snacks were all included in the price of our drinks, which were typically about 6 euros each.

Offerings ranged from olives, nuts and small cubes of mortadella to more extravagant spreads like Tomato Bruschetta, charcuterie, sandwiches, and homemade pizza and focaccia. Some of the more unique dishes included the recipes I am sharing this month for Whipped Ricotta Cheese with Honey Drizzle, Sun-dried Tomato Pesto (Pesto Rosa), and Olive Spread. There were many times I was so full I didn’t even need dinner, but who passes on dinner in Italy? Certainly not me!

I found a food processor to be my friend when making most of these recipes. They are all relatively simple and can be made ahead of time, a plus if you’re looking for some to be ready when you get home after a busy day.

Of course, bread is an ingredient for all of them, so I have started buying packaged premade “take and bake” baguettes to keep in my freezer or fridge then pop in the oven for a few minutes. I find this easier than trying to always have fresh bread on hand.

Partaking in aperitivo was one of my favorite times of the day — and actually my trip — for two reasons. Of course, the food and drinks were refreshing and delicious, but by far the most enjoyable part was visiting with the friends with whom I was traveling. In a perfect world, I would incorporate this into my daily routine at home too — not so much for the drinks and food, but for the quality time spent with friends and family that come with sitting down together. Hopefully, you too can enjoy aperitivo with friends and family some time very soon.

• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the 2011 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge. Contact Penny at DhCulinaryAdventures@gmail.com.

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Limoncello Spritz

Ice

2 ounces Limoncello

3 ounces Prosecco

1 ounce club soda (orange or lemon flavored are a nice addition)

1 slice of lemon

Sprig of mint (optional)

For best results, chill all ingredients before making cocktails.

Fill a large wine glass with ice and add Limoncello. Slowly add Prosecco in order to maintain as many bubbles as possible. Top with club soda, stir gently and garnish with a slice of lemon and sprig of mint, if desired. In Italy a spritz is served with a straw.

Makes one drink.

— Penny Kazmier

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Whipped Ricotta Cheese with Honey Drizzle

2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons honey, or to taste (hot honey would be good too)

Fresh thyme sprigs, small leaves removed from stems

Flaky salt (optional)

Lemon zest (optional)

Baguette or bread slices

Combine ricotta, olive oil, lemon juice and salt in food processor and process until smooth. Place in serving dish and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with thyme leaves, a little flaky salt, and/or lemon zest if desired. Serve with thinly sliced bread.

For something extra special, top bread slices with ricotta and a slice of strawberry or peach followed and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Makes 2 cups

— Penny Kazmier

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Sun-dried Tomato Pesto (Pesto Rosa)

1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

¼ cup slivered almonds or pine nuts

3 cloves garlic

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon fresh herbs (rosemary, oregano or basil)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, if desired

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine tomatoes, nuts, garlic, cheese, herbs, salt and crushed red pepper flakes, if using, in food processor. With the motor running, add olive oil until mixture is smooth and well combined. Adjust seasoning and serve spread on bread slices or as a condiment.

Makes approximately 1½ cups.

— Penny Kazmier

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Olive Spread

1½ cups pitted olives (I like a blend of Kalamata and, if I can find them, Castelvetrano)

2 tablespoons minced parsley

3 tablespoons capers

2 garlic gloves, minced

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon anchovy paste or 2 anchovy fillets (optional)

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper (There are a lot of salty ingredients, so only add if needed.)

Combine olives, parsley, capers, garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and anchovy, if using, in bowl of food processor. Pulse two to three times and scrape down sides of bowl. Add olive oil and pulse a few more times. Be careful to not over process, as mixture should be well incorporated, but not paste-like. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve spread on bread slices.

Makes approximately 1½ cups.

— Penny Kazmier

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Tomato Bruschetta

4 ripe plum or Roma tomatoes, cut into small pieces (diced)

2 cloves garlic, separated

Olive oil

Fresh basil (optional)

6 to 8 slices 2”x3” crusty bread (size doesn’t have to be exact) or approximately half a slice of bread

Salt and pepper

Flaky sea salt (optional)

Place cut tomatoes and all their juices in a medium size bowl. Crush one garlic clove and combine with tomatoes. Add enough olive oil to coat; stir. Season with salt and pepper. If using, tear basil leaves and add to tomato mixture; stir and set aside while preparing bread.

Toast bread; this can be done in a toaster, grill, skillet or oven. When finished, rub with uncut garlic clove to season.

When ready to serve, spoon a little of the tomato juice that has accumulated in the bowl onto each slice of bread and top with tomato mixture. Serve immediately topped with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired.

Makes 6 to 8 pieces.

— Penny Kazmier