Chef Graziella
Affogato al Caffè
Three ingredients, no cooking, pure theater. The espresso must be fresh, the gelato must be cold, and the moment of pouring must happen at the table where everyone can watch.
Culinary Explorer
A cooking platform built around craft, culture, and the stories behind what we eat.
Bellini
Created by
Two ingredients from the hand of Giuseppe Cipriani, who understood that restraint is the highest form of sophistication. Venice in a glass, pale pink and effervescent.
Beverages
Italian, Venetian
Dinner Party
Bridal Shower
Celebration
10 min
Active Time
0 min cook•10 min total
Yield4 cocktails
The Bellini requires exactly two ingredients: white peach puree and prosecco. If you find yourself reaching for a third, stop. You are no longer making a Bellini. You are making something else, and that something else will be worse.
Giuseppe Cipriani created this drink at Harry's Bar in Venice in 1948. He named it for Giovanni Bellini, the Renaissance painter, because the cocktail's soft pink color reminded him of the glow in Bellini's paintings. This is the kind of decision that separates those who understand Italian culture from those who merely visit it.
The drink is simple. Simple does not mean easy. Your peaches must be white-fleshed, fragrant, ripe. Your prosecco must be cold and of decent quality. The ratio must be correct. Get any of these wrong and you have failed. Get them right and you will understand why this drink has been served at Harry's Bar for over seventy years without a single modification.
Giuseppe Cipriani opened Harry's Bar in Venice in 1931, a tiny establishment that became a gathering place for artists, writers, and aristocrats. He invented the Bellini in 1948 during white peach season, naming it for the 15th-century Venetian painter Giovanni Bellini, whose saints and madonnas seemed to glow with the same rosy luminescence as the cocktail.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
ripe white peaches
Quantity
2 large (about 12 ounces)
fresh lemon juice
Quantity
1 teaspoon
prosecco
Quantity
1 bottle (750ml)
well chilled
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| ripe white peaches | 2 large (about 12 ounces) |
| fresh lemon juice | 1 teaspoon |
| proseccowell chilled | 1 bottle (750ml) |
Equipment Needed
- •Blender
- •Fine-mesh strainer
- •Champagne flutes
- •Bar spoon
Instructions
- 1
Select proper peaches
The peaches must be white-fleshed, not yellow. This is not negotiable. White peaches have a delicate, floral sweetness that yellow peaches cannot match. They should yield slightly when pressed and smell intensely of peach at the stem end. If they smell of nothing, they will taste of nothing.
White peaches have a short season, typically July through early September. Outside this window, use frozen white peach puree from a reputable source. Do not attempt this with canned peaches or yellow varieties. - 2
Prepare the puree
Blanch the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer immediately to ice water. The skins will slip off easily. Halve the peaches, remove the pits, and cut the flesh into chunks. Puree in a blender until completely smooth. Press through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any fibrous bits. Stir in the lemon juice. The puree should be the color of a pale sunrise.
- 3
Chill everything
Refrigerate the puree for at least one hour. Place your champagne flutes in the freezer for 15 minutes before serving. The prosecco should be thoroughly chilled, 38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm ingredients produce a flat, lifeless drink.
- 4
Build the cocktail
Spoon two tablespoons of peach puree into each chilled flute. Tilt the glass and pour the prosecco slowly down the side. The wine will mix with the puree as it fills the glass. Give one gentle stir with a bar spoon to incorporate any puree that remains at the bottom. Do not over-stir. You want to preserve the effervescence.
The ratio is approximately one part puree to two parts prosecco, but taste your peaches first. Very sweet peaches need less puree; less ripe fruit may need slightly more. - 5
Serve immediately
A Bellini waits for no one. Serve the moment you finish pouring. The color should be a soft, blushing pink, the surface alive with tiny bubbles. This is an aperitivo, served before dinner when the light is golden and the evening stretches ahead.
Chef Tips
- •White peaches are essential. Yellow peaches produce a muddier color and a less refined flavor. If you cannot find white peaches, wait until you can.
- •Prosecco should be dry (brut) or extra dry. Sweet prosecco throws off the balance. You are not making a dessert drink.
- •The puree can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated. It also freezes well for three months, allowing you to make Bellinis in winter with summer peaches.
- •At Harry's Bar, they use a specific ratio and technique developed over decades. The drink should be pale pink, never orange, never too sweet. Taste and adjust.
Advance Preparation
- •Peach puree can be made two days ahead and refrigerated, covered.
- •For entertaining, pre-portion the puree into the flutes and refrigerate. Add prosecco just before serving.
- •Freeze puree in ice cube trays for up to three months. Thaw completely before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 230g)
Calories
185 calories
Total Fat
0 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
10 mg
Total Carbohydrates
14 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
10 g
Protein
1 g
Where cooking meets culture.
Culinary guides, cultural storytelling, and the editorial depth that makes cooking meaningful.
Discover Culinary ExplorerMore from Chef Graziella's Italian Beverage Collection
Browse the full collection
Chef Graziella
Americano Cocktail
The original aperitivo of the Risorgimento era, when bitter Campari from Milan met sweet vermouth from Turin. Before someone added gin and called it a Negroni, this was the drink of Italian sophistication.
Chef Graziella
Bicerin
The legendary three-layered drink of Turin, where bitter espresso, silken hot chocolate, and cold cream meet but never mix. You experience each layer separately as you drink.
Chef Graziella
Caffè Corretto
The Italian coffee that needs no apology: a shot of espresso fortified with grappa, sambuca, or brandy. Some mornings demand correction.