Well, Vinitaly is over, and the elections have come and gone, leaving Italy split down the middle:
The absentee ballots cast by Italians living abroad gave the Left a 4-seat majority (out of 310 seats) in the Senate. The voting was just as close in the House, with the Left getting about 20,000 more votes out of a total of 44 million. However, the electoral law gives the winning group a "bonus," and as a result the Left has a more substantial majority in the House.
Is it over?
No, the Right, which suggested an ample coalition government (the Left said no), has asked for a recount...
We shall see what happens. If you're curious, here are the results (in Italian).

In the meantime, a few ideas for Lent:

Adriana's Minestrone di Verdure
Adriana's Minestrone di Verdure: This is a Veronese variation on a classic Italian theme, and is extraordinarily creamy, thanks to a healthy number of potatoes. Adriana says you can use short pasta such as ditalini in the dish, but that she prefers croutons instead, which provide a pleasant texture contrast.
• Patatosalata: Potato Salad
  This potato salad has a traditional lemon-oil dressing. Delicious, easy, and quick, it brings potatoes to the table in a new way.