Sugoli d'uva

Sugoli d’uva are a traditional sweet from the peasant culture of northern Italy, particularly from Emilia-Romagna. It is a kind of thick grape-based cream, which was prepared in the autumn during the grape harvest. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 kg of black grapes (preferably aromatic varieties like Concord grapes)
• 200 g of sugar
• 50 g of flour

Preparation

1. Start by washing the grapes well and detaching the berries from the stems. Then put the grapes in a saucepan and lightly crush them to release the juice.
2. Bring the grapes to a boil in a saucepan, cooking for about half an hour. During cooking, occasionally crush the berries to help them release their juice.
3. After cooking, pass the grapes through a sieve or a food mill to remove the skins and seeds, keeping only the juice and pulp.
4. Mix the flour with the sugar and add them to the grape juice.
5. Put the mixture back on the heat and, while stirring continuously, cook until it thickens. The result should be a fairly thick cream.
6. Pour the hot sugoli into a baking dish or individual bowls. Let cool and then refrigerate.
7. Sugoli are served cold, and can be accompanied with dry cookies or ladyfingers.

Fun fact

The term “sugoli” comes from the dialectal word that indicates a thick cream. This dish is a true autumnal treat, tied to peasant traditions, when there was an attempt to use every part of the harvest, even what seemingly appeared less valuable. For an even more traditional variant, you can also add some walnuts when serving.