Region: Italy, Sicily
Category: Desserts
Season: Summer
Difficulty: Easy
This Sicilian sweet syrup is part of what is known folklorically as being part of cucina arabo-sicula, the cooking influenced by the long ago Arab presence in Sicily. In some Muslim countries the apricot is known as the “moon of the faithful.” The apricot belongs in the same family as the peach and nectarine all of which fruits are used in this delicious syrup. If you can buy your fruits from a farmers market it will taste far better than supermarket fruit. This syrup can be poured over plain cake, omelettes, waffles, fried bread, ice cream, or fruit.
Yield: Makes 4 cups
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
3 large ripe peaches
3 large ripe nectarines
6 ripe apricots
1 cup water
4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Plunge the fruits into the boiling water for 2 minutes to remove their skins. Drain, peel off their skin and pit them and chop.
2. Place the fruit, sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat and cook 35 minutes. Let cool in the saucepan and when it is completely cooled store in bottles or containers in the refrigerator.
Posted: 12/13/2006
