The lemon marmalade with the original Sicilian recipe , that of the grandmother to be clear, is a gem to be made during the winter / spring, when lemons are widely available fresh and juicy. Jam ready to make breakfast more inviting and several more delicious desserts, it is a genuine and ancient preparation, which bears the unique taste of simplicity.
Here are tips and tricks for making the best Sicilian jam you can eat at home and which, for the record, you can also use to accompany seasoned and spicy PDO Sicilian cheeses as part of rustic aperitifs or the much appreciated platters .
The ancient Sicilian recipe of lemon marmalade
A perfect lemon marmalade - which does not fear the passage of time - is the ancient Sicilian one with peel. Important, however, is the phase of prior boiling of the lemons, which serves to eliminate the bitterness, at least if you want to opt for a lemon marmalade without soaking . In case you are not in a hurry, however, you can also soak them for 48 hours in cold water, changing the water after the first 24.
Jam ingredients
- 1 kg of organic lemons
- sugar to taste
How to make Sicilian lemon marmalade
- Wash the lemons well and place them in a saucepan. Cover them with water and cook them for about 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, drain and repeat the operation, this time pouring them into boiling water.
- Drain them after 20 minutes keeping the cooking water.
- Blend them with a blender or pass them through a vegetable mill.
- Weigh the puree obtained and transfer it into a large saucepan together with the same amount of sugar.
- Add about a liter of the cooking water kept aside and cook the jam, stirring, until it reaches the right consistency. (You can try sliding it on an inclined plate).
- Pour it, still hot, into sterilized glass jars . Screw them immediately and let them cool upside down. Keep them in the pantry once cold.
Sicilian lemon marmalade with zest
To obtain a jam with tempting zest inside, just put one of the lemons aside after having boiled them and cut it into small pieces. Then add it directly into the pot together with the puree and sugar, then proceeding as above.
Lemon jam recipe without peel
If you prefer a more velvety jam, you can opt for lemon jam without peel . Just remove it from the citrus fruits and add them to a saucepan with sugar, an apple (which will serve as a natural thickener) and water, cooking everything until it thickens properly.
Ps: if you don't want to make it (but you don't want to eat it!), an excellent alternative is the ready-made organic lemon marmalade that you can find on Sicilyaddict.
