Bellini Recipe

Prepare the peaches

If using fresh peaches, blanch to remove skins: bring a pot of water to a boil, score a small X on the blossom end of each peach, drop peaches into boiling water for 20–30 seconds until skins loosen, then transfer immediately to an ice bath. Peel skins off, cut peaches in half, remove pits and roughly chop. If using very ripe peaches, you can skip blanching and simply peel with a sharp paring knife.

Make peach purée

Place the chopped peaches (from 1 whole peach) into a blender or food processor. Add the optional sugar (1 tsp) and lemon juice (1 tsp) if you want a slightly sweeter and brighter purée. Add 2–4 ice cubes only if peaches are warm and you want to cool the purée quickly. Pulse/blend until very smooth, about 15–30 seconds. Taste and adjust sweetness. Strain the purée through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl using the back of a spoon to remove any fibrous bits for an ultra-smooth texture. You should have about 1/4 cup (approx. 60 ml) of purée for one large-format Bellini (serves 2) or adjust per serving below.

Chill glassware and Prosecco

Place flute glasses in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes to chill. Ensure the Prosecco is well-chilled (ideally 40–45°F / 4–7°C).

Assemble the Bellini

For each serving (about 6 oz / 180 ml total): spoon 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons (roughly 15–22 ml) of peach purée into the bottom of a chilled champagne flute. Hold the flute at a slight angle and slowly pour Prosecco (approximately 3–4 oz / 90–120 ml per serving) down the side to minimize foaming. Gently stir once with a long bar spoon (one gentle turn) to incorporate the purée with the sparkling wine. Taste and add a touch more purée if you prefer a fruitier drink.

Garnish and serve

Garnish with a thin slice of fresh peach on the rim or floated on top. Serve immediately while the Prosecco is bubbly.

Notes for scaling

This ingredient list makes roughly 2 standard servings (depending on glass size). To scale: use about 1 tablespoon of peach purée per 3–4 oz (90–120 ml) of Prosecco. If using bottled or frozen peach purée, omit fresh peach and use an equal volume, adjusting sweetness to taste.