Also referred to as an Amaro Spritz, I discovered this Sicilian take on the classic aperitivo in a town just north of Catania. There are quite a few Italian cocktails made with a type of Amaro, as the word literally means bitter in Italian! Aperol and Campari both actually belong to the Amaro family as well. There is a huge variety of flavors in Amaro, ranging from extremely bitter to slightly sweet, and even some that have a gin-like botanical flavor (in my non-expert opinion). The Amaro dell'Etna is a local variety that I have come to enjoy quite a bit, but it falls a little on the bitter side so I add just a dash of simple syrup to my spritz when I use it. I know, adding sugar to a drink that's supposed to be bitter is blasphemy, but I am after all, just an American living in Italy.
Ingredients:
3 oz Prosecco
2 oz Amaro
1 oz Gassosa or Club Soda
Dash of Simple Syrup (optional)
Orange slice and Rosemary sprig for garnish
Directions:
Fill a glass half full with ice.
Pour Amaro, simple syrup and Prosecco over the ice, then the Club Soda.
Stir gently just a few times to combine the flavors.
Garnish with an orange slice and a rosemary sprig to make it pretty and add some extra Etna flavor!
Serve in:
Wine glass, or tall tumbler.
Recipe collection: Italian Cocktails: The Art of the Aperitivo
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