'Jinchi la panza and jinchila di spini'
(fill your belly and fill it with thorns), this is how our grandparents used to begin!
Proverbs, as we all know, are never wrong. The prickly pear is the only fruit of which nothing is thrown away, the flowers, fruit and blades are used.
How do you peel the Prickly Pear?
The first step in preparing original prickly pear recipes is to peel it. What do we need? Gloves, knife and tweezers or brush in hand. Experienced farmers know that first you have to cut off a layer of cladodo (shovel) to pick the fruit. Then it needs to be stripped of its thorns using tweezers or a brush.
Only at this moment can the prickly pear arrive in the counter ready for sale.
If you are not an expert, simply equip yourself with a knife and fork. Place the freshly picked fruit on a flat surface, pierce it in the centre with a fork. While with the knife, make a clean cut at both ends without removing the skin completely. Now cut through the 'belly' of the fruit. Separate the two parts and take the prickly pear with your hands, peeling it off the peel, ready to be enjoyed.
For those who would like to remove the thorns completely, but are not handy with tools, we have another solution. Fill a tub with cold water where the fruit will be immersed. In this way, the thorns will come off easily by themselves. This is also a good method of storing the fruit for the long term, even for about twenty days. It is a good alternative to the refrigerator, where the fruit is likely to lose its flavour.
Lots of great recipes
Once we have revealed the tricks of peeling it, we reveal some original prickly pear recipes to bring it to our tables.
In Sicilian culinary tradition, the prickly pear is used to make excellent syrups, tasty ice-creams, fresh granitas and excellent jams.
Jam is the ideal base for making desserts. But it is also the right accompaniment to a cheese plate, accompanied by a good glass of red or white wine. And of course there are those who prefer it at breakfast on toast or added to a pot of Greek yoghurt.
Let us take a step back in time. Let's imagine we live in the Sicilian hinterland, where our grandmothers used to sweeten us with prickly pear juice mostarda. The preparation is quite simple: a juice was obtained from the sifted fruit, which, mixed with flour and brought to the boil, thickened and, once cooled, was cut into diamond shapes and stored between bay leaves.
These were the same grandmothers who did not throw anything away from the fruit, so much so that they prepared fried cutlets with the peels, simply by adding eggs and flour.
Today, the prickly pear is used in the preparation of pasta dishes,both the risotto pasta goes well with this fruit. It is an ingredient capable of giving a decidedly original and inviting taste, ideal for those who like to experiment with new flavours.
The combination with a main course is also inviting, try red prawns with prickly pear cream.
The flowers of this fruit with the addition of orange peel and fennel make an excellent infusion. We can drink it throughout the day, both on summer and winter days.
Speaking of drinks, we cannot fail to mention our 'treat'the Prickly Pear liqueur. Obtained from the puree of the fruit, with a low alcohol content and a unique, sweet and delicate taste. A product that reflects the strong link with our land and with what is authentic and organic.
There is so much to say about this delicious fruit that one article is not enough! If you want to read more,see our other articles.
