It’s been a chilly, rainy late fall here in Italy. Between floods in Venice and Matera, days of wind and rain here in Lucca,  falling tree limbs in other parts of Tuscany, and evenings that turn dark by 5 p.m,, we recently were in need of a little lift. While warm evenings spent sipping summery drinks on Italian piazzas are long gone, there was no reason that aperitvo hour couldn’t move indoors and into our homes to provide some relief from the gloomy weather.

With that in mind, and the fact the we had Judy’s birthday to celebrate, I decided to throw an aperitivo gathering in my Lucca apartment. Keep in mind that while my kitchen is large by local standards, it is still a relatively small space. And all the pretty platters and just-right serving pieces I’ve collected over the years remain in boxes stored in New Mexico, so hosting a group for aperitivo required imagination, flexibility, and the relaxation of some of my usual “rules” of entertaining. In this case that meant using disposable plates, plastic silverware, and a host of mismatched wine glasses. Making-do was the name of the game. It also helped greatly that friends chipped in with a couple of dishes, extra glasses, and several bottles of wine.

First, the menu. I wanted food that was filling enough that the evening could go well past dinner hour but that was still in keeping with the small bites and finger foods that are typical of aperitivo. All had to be served buffet style, allowing guests to mix and mingle. Here in Lucca this is known as an apericena - a mix of aperitivo and a light, early dinner (dinner in Italian is cena).

I started building the menu with my go-to party dish, savory clafoutis (a recipe I came across years ago in Fine Cooking magazine). These little cloud-like bites are made with a variety of fillings - just pick the flavors you like best. I chose roasted red peppers and goat cheese for half (the tiny ones pictured below) and mushrooms with ham for the slightly larger ones. Both were flavored with a little fresh thyme,  which is still thriving on my terrace. I love that I can make these in the morning and then pop them in the oven to reheat just before serving and also that the same basic batter combines with so many different filling combinations.

Friends contributed other hearty appetizers - zucchini fritters, little packets of bresaola (a cured beef) wrapped around a filling of softened cream cheese seasoned with some Penzey’s fox point seasoning (an American spin on an Italian appetizer), and some mild red peppers with a tuna filling that were colorful and tasty. Yum!

Everything else was purchased - prosciutto, three kinds of cheese (pecorino, brie with a fig topping, and - my personal favorite - caprini - a soft cheese marinated in spices and olive oil), olives, focaccia. I made a seasoned salt as a dip for a mix of raw and blanched veggies. It was served alongside olive oil (the little cups meant for soft-boiled eggs made delightful serving pieces for the salt and oil). And, of course, no Italian aperitivo is complete without some salty potato chips.

The wine flowed, starting with a Prosecco birthday toast and then a variety of whites and reds, mostly local varieties. Who needs matching glasses and fancy dishes when you’ve got good friends, good food, lively conversation, laughter, and a place in Italy? -post by Joanne