Nocino or Liqueur de Noix
This recipe is based on one given to me by my cousin Mary.
Ingredients
- 30 Green Walnuts see source info below
- 3 1/2 cups Sugar
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 10 Cloves
- zest of one lemon cut in pieces
- 2x 750 ml bottles Grappa see note below
Instructions
- Wash and quarter the walnuts. Places them in a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Add the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and cinnamon. Pour in the grappa, and stir.
- Cover and let sit for 40 days, shaking the container every once in a while. Don’t be alarmed – the contents will start turning brown (a walnut brown, naturally) – very quickly.
- After the 40 days, strain through a fine-meshed sieve that is lined with cheesecloth into bottles. Seal the bottles, and let age in a dark, cool place for at least 3 months, preferably longer, before serving.
Notes
If you are lucky enough to be in Italy, France or Spain head out and pick your green walnuts. If not, here is my source. I got my walnuts from Haag Farm in California. This isn’t an endorsement or advertisement, simply information. The quality was excellent.
Note: Mary does not like using grain alcohol or even vodka to make Nocino. She reported that the Italians she knows use grape alcohol, which is not easily available in the U.S. Based on this information, I opted for grappa, and it worked beautifully.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!