Strawberry and Prosecco Cocktail

Wash the strawberries under running, cool water for about 10-15 seconds, gently shaking to remove sand and dirt. Place them on a clean paper towel and dry. Remove the green caps (hulls) with a sharp knife or hull cutter: hold the strawberry in one hand and cut off the green part with the knife, slicing diagonally just below the leaves. Cut larger fruits into quarters, leaving smaller ones whole. Weigh 200 g of strawberries (weight after cleaning).

Transfer the chopped strawberries to a medium bowl (about 500 ml). Add 10 g of powdered sugar and 20 ml of fresh lemon juice. Mash the strawberries with a fork or a potato masher, pressing them for 1–2 minutes until they release juice and form a uniform, slightly chunky mixture. If you want a very smooth puree, use an immersion blender and blend for 10–15 seconds on low speed — no longer, as the puree may become too runny.

If you want to get rid of small seeds and achieve a very smooth puree, pass the mixture through a fine sieve: place the sieve over a bowl, pour in the puree, and press it through with a silicone spatula or spoon, pushing the pulp until only the seeds remain in the sieve. This process will take 1–2 minutes. The resulting puree should be smooth and glossy.

Chill the glasses (flute) by placing them in the freezer for 8–10 minutes or in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. At the same time, put the bottle of prosecco in the refrigerator or immerse the neck in a bucket of ice for 10–15 minutes. The cocktail tastes best when all the ingredients are well chilled.

In the previously chilled glasses, place 40 g (ml) of the prepared strawberry puree at the bottom of each glass. Use a teaspoon or a small measuring cup to ensure the portions are equal. The puree should adhere to the bottom of the glass and create an appealing layer.

Slowly pour prosecco into each glass — about 150 ml per glass. To preserve as many bubbles as possible and avoid strong frothing, tilt the glass slightly and pour the prosecco slowly along the inside of the glass or pour it onto an inverted tablespoon held just above the puree (the spoon will disperse the stream). Pour to a height of about 1 cm below the rim of the glass to avoid overflow.

If you want to chill the cocktail further, add a bit of crushed ice (about 50 g to each glass) — keep in mind that the ice will dilute the drink as it melts. You can also add a slice of strawberry to the rim of the glass.

Decorate each glass with a fresh sprig of mint (place the leaves right next to the puree) and a slice or half of a strawberry on the rim of the glass. Serve the cocktails immediately — the prosecco will lose some of its bubbles after a few minutes.

Serve the cocktail immediately to maintain the best texture of the puree and the fizz of the prosecco. If you are making multiple cocktails at once, prepare the puree in advance and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours — strawberries lose their freshness over time. For non-drinking guests, replace the prosecco with cold sparkling water or non-alcoholic sparkling wine.