With the arrival of autumn, the vineyards of Puglia are painted in warm and inviting colors, offering clusters of ripe grapes ready to be transformed into a delicious grape jam. This traditional preparation, also known as "mostarda", celebrates the natural sweetness of the grapes, which does not require added sugar thanks to its abundant intrinsic sweetness. Using varieties of table or wine grapes is a winning choice, as their juice, once cooked in the saucepan, concentrates and releases enveloping aromas that evoke the warmth of home cooking. The cooking technique requires patience and attention, so that the juice reduces and reaches the right consistency, creating a thick and flavorful jam, perfect for spreading on toasted bread during a winter breakfast or serving as an accompaniment to aged cheeses at a lunch among friends. Stored in glass jars, this jam becomes a treasure to rediscover in the cold months, bringing with it the scent and colors of Puglia.
* approximate values per serving
Any variety of well-ripened grapes is suitable for making "mostarda", even those used for wine. Remove the seeds from the grapes without peeling them and place them in a tall saucepan until the juice completely reduces. Do not add sugar because the grapes are already abundantly sweet. Pour the warm jam into washed and dried glass jars and cover with a disc of oiled paper soaked in alcohol. Seal tightly. This jam is suitable for making sweets and tarts.
Grape jam is improperly named as such because the correct name for this product should be grape confiture. As you know, the name jam is legally given only to citrus-based products. However, in Puglia, it is often also called grape mostarda. It is a product as ancient as it is good, and overall not difficult to prepare at home, although you will need a bit of patience to remove all the seeds from the grapes.
Grape jam is, in the collective imagination, a product to be made with black grapes. Because we all picture it as black! Yet, even with white grapes, the result is very pleasant. You can prepare a few jars of white grape jam and a few jars of black grape jam, perhaps flavoring them with a different touch respectively. For example, you could make a white grape and ginger jam and a black grape and walnut jam. Or you can add other flavors to your liking.
Making Bimby grape jam is easy. The only tedious operation will be removing the seeds from the grape berries. Then you will put the grapes in the bowl (1kg), 300 grams of sugar, and the juice of half a lemon and cook at Varoma temperature for 50 minutes at speed 1. After that, all you have to do is jar the product.
Grape jam is a classic preparation that can be easy and fun to make at home. However, it is also true that not everyone always has the time to dedicate to this kind of preparation. So where can you buy good grape jam? Let's avoid supermarkets as we might find mediocre quality products, added with sugars, thickeners, stabilizers, and the like. Let's try some regional specialty product websites, from which we can also purchase some other delicacies to serve with our jam. Grape jam pairs very well with cheeses.