Postiglione walnuts are a typical product of the Cilento village of Postiglione, located on the Alburni Mountains in the province of Salerno. They are distinguished by their elongated shape, hard shell and intense, slightly aromatic flavour. They are particularly rich in omega-3, omega-6 and vitamins, which make them a healthy and nutritious food. The harvest takes place between the end of September and the beginning of October, when the nuts fall from the trees spontaneously. They are then left to dry in the sun for a few days, before being packaged and sold.
A typical local product is the "nocino", a liqueur obtained from the maceration of walnuts in alcohol.
Recipe for Nocino
Ingredients:
- 1 liter of 95° ethyl alcohol
- 500 g of Postiglione walnuts
- 200 g of sugar
- 100 g of water
- 1 clove
- 1 cinnamon stick
Preparation:
- Wash the walnuts and dry them thoroughly.
- Crush the walnuts with a meat mallet or mortar until you obtain a coarse grain.
- In a large glass jar, pour the alcohol, crushed walnuts, sugar, water, clove and cinnamon.
- Close the jar tightly and let it rest in a cool, dark place for 40 days, stirring the contents occasionally.
- After 40 days, filter the liqueur through a fine mesh strainer and bottle it.
- Leave the nocino to rest in the bottle for at least another 20 days before consuming it.
Tips:
- For a more intense flavor, use freshly picked walnuts.
- If you prefer a sweeter liqueur, increase the sugar dose.
- Nocino can be kept for several years if stored correctly in a cool, dark place.
Variants:
- You can add other flavorings to the nocino, such as the zest of a lemon or orange, or a pinch of nutmeg.
- In some variations, a little ground coffee is also added.
Nocino is a digestive liqueur with an intense and aromatic flavour. It is perfect to enjoy at the end of a meal or as a digestive.
