When Casa Toscana opened on Miami's Upper Eastside nearly a year ago, it was little more than a takeout shop with some surprisingly fine Italian wines. Today it's a cozy, almost elegant, Tuscan-style trattoria with an eager staff and some occasionally excellent dishes.

The force behind the transformation is proprietor Sandra Stefani, a Pisa native who splits her time between the front and back of the house with the energy of an idling Alfa Romeo. From her minuscule kitchen comes a welcome array of cucina povera, peasant food, mostly made from humble ingredients like beans, pasta, sausage, chicken liver, lots of greens and, of course, tomatoes.

Stefani was the chef at the short-lived Café Paradiso at Miami Beach's Indian Creek Hotel before disappearing into the world of catering and consulting. Today, ensconced in her own intimate 30-seater, she exudes the same warm and welcoming glow as Casa Toscana's zabaglione-colored walls as she shows off her impressive wine selection, which includes hard-to-find Amarones and Barolos from boutique producers.

The 40-some bottles from the toe to the tip of the boot range from a $24 Pugliese Nero d'Avola to a $120 1996 Amarone Viviani. (All are marked.) The house Merlot, Chianti, Montepuliciano d'Abruzzo and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (all young but drinkable) are $5 to $8 a glass. There's no wine list, but trust your hostess. She'll steer you right.

So pull up a rustic wooden chair, inside or out. Starters include bruschetta, antipasti and salads that are uniformly fresh and delicious. One of the best is the simple casa salad of mixed baby greens and slabs of grilled zucchini and tomatoes misted with a subtle balsamic vinaigrette.

Chunky chicken liver pté on grilled focaccia is rich enough for a meal alongside a salad. So is the fine white bean soup with plum tomatoes and tubetini pasta that does not fall apart in the bowl. Not as exciting was a watery zucca, a pale orange pumpkin soup with too much nutmeg.

Pastas include a friendly spaghetti with Bolognese sauce that's a sure bet for the less adventurous. Polenta is served fried in wedges, not in the fresher, porridge style I prefer.

The highly recommendable daily specials are as varied as the menu is simple. Tiny sausage croquettes loaded with fennel and hunks of potato served over a lentil stew make an addictive little starter when available. Pappardelle with wild boar ragout, seafood risotto, gnocchi and osso buco also make regular appearances.

We were surprised, after placing a pasta order, when Stefani announced, ''Sorry, we were 86 on the ravioli,'' and plunked down a dish of puffy, yellow pasta purses filled with pear and ricotta cheese in Gorgonzola sauce instead. No complaints. It was as delicious and it was distinctive.

The chicken with grapes, a regular menu item, is a simple and elegant dish that should not be overlooked. Two plump breast halves are served in a veil of white wine and vinegar sauce dotted with slivers of perfectly golden garlic sweetened by tiny, caramelized red grapes and rosemary sprigs.

Rosemary shows up again in perfect cubes of roasted potato served with one of the best cheap steaks I've had in years, the tagliata, made with top blade (aka flat iron) steak. Seared to a crusty hide, the rich, minerally meat is as tasty as it is tender. Thin sheets of superb Parmesan cheese and spicy baby arugula complete the presentation.

For dessert, chocoholics will be hard-pressed to find a moister chocolate cake, perfect with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. A ricotta and lemon tart is more quiche-like and on the savory side.

Why not order a glass of vin santo and offer a salud to the owner of this fine little newcomer? Here's hoping she'll park for a while.