With a golden color, the apricot jam is probably the most used in confectionery production throughout Italy, a prestigious ingredient in many types of sweets, from classic Italian pastry, where it is often called to enrich the shortcrust pastry (an example are the “jam tarts”) to traditional regional recipes.
The apricot tree is, in fact, widespread throughout the peninsula since ancient times, now presenting distinct and typical varieties, such as the Valleggia apricot, produced in Liguria in the Savona area. Therefore, the presence of apricot jams in the north, in Trentino, in the delicious filling of strudel, or in southern cuisine should not be surprising. It is also the protagonist of the banquet of the Grand Ball described by Tomasi di Lampedusa (1896-1957) in “The Leopard”, called “Triumph of Gluttony” (based on soft almond paste and apricot jam).
The deeply sweet taste of this Italian jam is mainly paired with types of aged or blue cheeses, with an intense flavor, creating a rounded blend on the palate. Sardinian and Tuscan Pecorino, Fossa cheese, as well as Gorgonzola, are just some of the products capable of creating a perfect pairing.
