It’s the height of summer, and that means gatherings and celebrations are acceptable any day of the week. It’s a great time to add a little exuberance to entertaining, simply for the fun of it.
Aperitivo hour is the perfect time to take advantage of the golden sunsets in the Southern Hemisphere. For me, there’s nothing better on a balmy evening than a bubbly Aperol spritz or a glass of dry prosecco, along with a bottomless bowl of giant Spanish Manzanilla olives.
I’ve recently been introduced to a new drink to add to my golden hour menu: the Negroni Sbagliato. (You may have seen this drink all over TikTok two years ago after the now-famous interview with Emma D’Arcy, an actress in House of the Dragon.)
It’s commonly referred to as Sbagliato, which means mistake in Italian, as it’s origin that came to life by accident. A traditional Negroni is a combination of gin, sweet vermouth and bittersweet Campari. It’s been told that in Milan, back in 1972, a bartender accidentally reached for a bottle of prosecco instead of gin and a Negroni Sbagliato was born. I love the bitterness paired with the festive effervescence.
I’ve gathered a list of my favourite but simple bites to serve alongside your drinks selection the next time you have friends over.
Pan con tomate
Pan con tomate (Spanish tomato bread), is a humble tapas from Catalan. It uses only five ingredients which are often in the pantry: bread, olive oil, garlic, tomato and salt.
For 4-6 people, you’ll need:
- 2 large tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic
- Ciabatta bread
- Fresh basil, optional
Preheat your oven to 200’C. Slice the tomatoes in half and grate them on the coarse side of a grater. Slice your ciabatta into 2cm slices, lay them out on an oven tray and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toast them in the heated oven for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden. Remove the bread from the oven and rub straightaway with garlic cloves directly on the bread to cover. Spoon over the grated tomato pulp and season with a crack of Maldon salt and another drizzle of olive oil. Top off with fresh basil, if you have any on hand.
Spanish Gilda
A Spanish gilda is a very popular Basque-style tapas found throughout Spain. It’s a collection of salty, briny flavours, gathered and served on a stick. Also only made up of a few ingredients that can be kept in your pantry, making it easy to whip together on the fly.
All you need are:
- Pitted green olives
- Pickled guindilla peppers
- Anchovies (marinated or oil-packed)
- A pack of cocktail skewers
It’s important to use good quality ingredients as they really shine in their simplicity. Spear an olive onto the skewer, sliding it to the top of the stick. Fold an anchovy in half and thread it on to meet the olive. Spear a pickled pepper, sliding it down the skewer. Continue with another anchovy and olive to finish. Repeat this until all of the ingredients from your tin or jar are finished. These little skewers are always a hit and will keep well in the fridge if there are leftovers – but I doubt they’ll last long!
Finish off your aperitivo board with a sharp mature cheese and a sliced ripe peach or fig. This colourful, flavour-packed spread will definitely create a lush Mediterranean feast that can be put together in a flash if you have all of your ingredients on hand. ¡Salud!
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