Juicy peaches........

I bought a punnet load of peaches the other day. 99p for about 10 peaches. They are usually available here from july through to september. There are loads of recipes that my mum and aunt use and they have passed them onto me. These are some of the recipes I have included in my book.

This is my aunt Rita’s peach jam recipe, she makes it during the hot Summer months using the peaches that have ripened and fallen from the trees in her land. The smell is so delicious, those sweet, sugary, caramel scents waft through the air, through the open windows and stairwell to my apartment. It doesn’t take me long to go downstairs and give her a hand.
You can make this jam with or without the skins depends on how chunky you like your jam.
This makes 2 medium sized jars

600g peaches
600g preserving or granulated sugar
juice of 1 small lemon

Wash the peaches and put them whole in a large saucepan with 200ml water. Simmer for about 30 minutes then add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Add the lemon juice and boil the mixture rapidly for 20-30 minutes.
Remove the stones and any scum from the jam then leave it to cool. Sterilize and prepare your jars by washing them in hot, soapy water, rinsing well and drying in a warm oven for about 5 minutes. Pour the jam into the warm jars cover and seal. Enjoy.

Peaches in syrup is another easy and delicious recipe. These are the traditional version of tinned peaches. If you have lots of peaches to use up this is a great way of preserving them.

Makes 2 jars
500g caster sugar
2kg peaches
1 litre water
1 vanilla pod

Score the bottom of the peaches and place them in hot water for a few minutes to remove their skins.
Melt the sugar in a saucepan along with a litre of water and the vanilla pod. When it reaches boiling point put in the peaches and cook them for about 15 minutes.
Drain them and let them cool keeping the juice.
Place the peaches into sterilized jars and top with the sugar syrup. Close and store in a cool dry place. Best consumed after a week to let the flavours mingle and mature.

Another great recipe that is really simple yet delicious is peaches or nectarines filled with amaretti.

Peaches and nectarines are grown profusely in the land in and around my mum and dad's hometown of Agerola and are enjoyed in the few months that they are in season. As lots of people grow them many people have to come up with ideas on how to use them up, as they don’t keep long. So as delicious as they are eaten fresh they are also
delicious cooked. Just warming a peach or nectarine slightly and caramelising the sugar gives them a whole new flavour and
texture. Here they are combined with amaretti, the slight bitter twang of the amaretto and the sweet peach work perfectly. Serve with milk icecream, double cream or thick yoghurt.
Delicious.

Serves 4
4 ripe but firm nectarines halved stones removed
20g soft amaretti
20g hard amaretti
15g unsalted butter
15g sugar
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Arrange the peach/nectarine halves cut side up in a baking dish. Whiz the amaretti, butter and sugar in a food processor until the crumbs start to stick together slightly. Scatter over the nectarines and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden. Best served warm.