Quince jelly
By Carola
Quince jelly is a typical Sicilian recipe, prepared in early autumn, when quinces are ripe. Today, very simple moulds are used to make it, but in the past it was traditional to use round copper or terracotta moulds, decorated with fruit or flower motifs, which immediately brightened up the table when served. In the Pellegrino household, Grandmother Lina would always leave the trays of quince jelly to dry outdoors, then stored them in the pantry in the evening.
The whole family still has vivid memories of the kitchen strewn with trays of quince jelly, its wonderful aroma and the bees buzzing around. Grandmother did not use moulds but used to spread the quince jelly and then cut it into strips… it was a competition to get the
ingredients for 4 people
1 kg ripe quinces
800 g sugar
1 lemon
preparation
Peel and clean the quinces, removing the core and seeds. Boil them and, as soon as they are cooked, drain them and pass them through a sieve. Pour the purée into a saucepan, add the sugar and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan. Add the juice of one lemon and allow it to be absorbed. Once cooked, pour the liquid quince jelly into the appropriate moulds, which have been moistened beforehand. Special terracotta moulds were traditionally used, but ice cube trays are also suitable.
The quince jelly should then be left to rest in a cool, dry place for a couple of days; only then can it be removed from the moulds and left to rest again for another couple of days in a dry place until the typical sugar crust has formed on the outside. Finally, serve the quince jelly as a single-portion dessert.
Pair with a glass of Old John Marsala Superiore Riserva Amber Semi-Dry
ingredients for 4 people
1 kg ripe quinces
800 g sugar
1 lemon
preparation
Peel and clean the quinces, removing the core and seeds. Boil them and, as soon as they are cooked, drain them and pass them through a sieve. Pour the purée into a saucepan, add the sugar and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan. Add the juice of one lemon and allow it to be absorbed. Once cooked, pour the liquid quince jelly into the appropriate moulds, which have been moistened beforehand. Special terracotta moulds were traditionally used, but ice cube trays are also suitable.
The quince jelly should then be left to rest in a cool, dry place for a couple of days; only then can it be removed from the moulds and left to rest again for another couple of days in a dry place until the typical sugar crust has formed on the outside. Finally, serve the quince jelly as a single-portion dessert.
Pair with a glass of Old John Marsala Superiore Riserva Amber Semi-Dry
