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QUINCE PASTE AND QUINCE JAM
Quince jams and paste can be found throughout central Italy and are especially
concentrated in Abruzzo, Campania, and other territories of the
ancient Bourbon kingdom. They are made from the fruit of the Cydonium vulgaris
or malus, ripening in autumn, and are very tart, so unpleasant to eat,
even though very aromatic. Due to the high content of pectin and tannin
however, quince is very useful in the preparation of jam, conserves and jelly.
Quince is essentially used to produce jams and a paste called “cotognata”.
It is a fruit known all over the Mediterranean and was appreciated in
ancient times because of its astringent capacities; the turbinate-oval fruits
have five cavities, all containing many seeds. It
is greenish then becomes yellow as it ripens.
Ancient recipes for conservation are found in the
De re Rustica by Coumella, which describe it
being essentially preserve raw with honey, but
in about 1600 it started to be used as a preserve
added to must. Later, when refined sugar began
to be used in cooking, the method for preparing
jams was standardised.
The fruit is prepared with normal kitchen utensils
whereas it is best to cook the jam in copper
pots because they give the jam better sensorial
traits. Production methods described here refer
to home recipes, but in Abruzzo there are a number
of interesting industrial plants.
The preparation begins by peeking the quince and cutting into quarters,
removing the central core and the seeds. After weighing the amount
obtained, the same weight of sugar and the juice of one lemon per kg of
fruit is added. This is left for an hour to allow the sugar to dissolve and then
the mixture is cooked to the required consistency. Half way through cooking,
the mixture should be sieved to obtain a more uniform product and is
put in airtight jars, stored in the dark. To prepare quince paste, the fruit is
cut into segments with the skin, removing the core and the seeds. The same
weight of sugar and a little water are added, then stirred until the mixture
comes away from the sides of the pan. Then,
when it is still hot, it is sieved and poured onto a
metal oven tray, dredged with sugar, then levelled
off to a thickness of about a centimetre, left
to dry completely for 4-5 days in the open air.
Lastly, it is cut into regular shapes which are
dipped quickly into sugar. The pieces are then
wrapped in oil-paper and stored in tins.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
100g of quince contain:
Water 83.8g; Proteins 0.50g; Fats 0.10g; Glucides
15.3g; Vit. A 0.01mg; Vit. B1 0.02mg; Vit. B2 0.03mg;
Niacin 0.20mg; Vit. C 15mg; Calcium 11g; Iron 0.7mg;
Phosphorus 17mg.
NATURAL OR TRANSFORMED VEGETABLE PRODUCTS 235