Chef Nensi opet gostuje: Sir od dunja (kitnikez) | Quince paste (Quittenkäs)

(scroll down for English)

Dunja iliti latinski Cydonia Oblonga, engleski quince, njemački quitte, španski membrillo. Od njemačkog naziva i potiče ta riječ kitnikez odnonsno izvorno Quittenkäs a prevedeno po naški kao sir od dunja. Zašto kao sir kad s njim nema veze, pojma nemam. 

Moja madre ponovo gostuje kod mene na blogu, ali ovaj put sa slatkim receptom (zadnji put je gostovala sa slanim inćunima).

~ Sir od dunja ~

Kada sam ja bila mlada moji nisu imali dunju pa nismo radili nikakve poslastice. Ako bi dunje dobili od nekoga one su se najčešće čuvale na ormaru zbog mirisa. Kod svekrve mi se sviđao kompot od dunja, a od otpadaka je uvijek pravila med od dunja iliti takozvani "sulc". To je nekad bila omiljena poslastica u kući. Za današnje prilike taj "sulc" je presladak. Nisam nikad "sulc" probala praviti jer se kore moraju jako dugo kuvati.

Ove godine sam kod moje kume Klare probala prvi put ovaj kitnikez. Njen je odstajao još od prošle godine i bio je tvrđi, ali i dalje jako ukusan, upakovan fino u staklenu zdjelicu. Pošto sam ove godine od tetke iz Gojaka dobila dosta dunja kitnikez sam i ja napravila. Napravila sam i pekmez, ali za njega recept neki drugi put.

Lijepe, zdrave i zrele dunje oguliti i izrezati na četvero, očistiti od koštica i ostatka kore. Dunje staviti kuhati u malo vode, a kada omekšaju ocijediti i ispasirati. U posudu za kuhanje staviti šećer i malo vode i kuhati dok se šećer ne počne pretvarati u grudice. Dodati pasirane dunje te učestalo mješati. Dunje su kuvane kad se mješalicom provuče po dnu posude i ostane čist trag. Na 1 kg pasiranih dunja ide 1 kg šećera (ja stavim 1/2 kg jer mislim da je dovoljno).  Gotovu smjesu staviti u plitke čiste kalupe, poravnati nozem ili špatulom i ostaviti da se stegne i suši (bar 3 do 4 dana). Kad se smjesa dovoljno osušila rezati na kocke ili neke druge oblike. Po želji se može uvaljati u mljevene orase ili kokos. Orasi mogu da užegnu pa njih ne bi preporučila ako se "sir" neće odmah jesti.

Ovaj kolač spada u posne poslastice.

~~~~~~~~~~ English version ~~~~~~~~~

Quince paste (Quittenkäs)

Quince, Latin Cydonia Oblonga, dunja in Serbo-Croatian, quitte in German, membrillo in Spanish. The name for this treat comes from the German word Quittenkäs and translated in Serbo-Croatian as quince cheese and in English as quince paste. Why cheese when it has nothing to do with the cheese structure, I have no idea.

Chef Nensi (mia madre) is a guest on my blog with this lovely old traditional quince recipe..

When I was young my family did not have quince tree so we didn't make any quince treats. If we would get any from the neighbors we usually kept it in on the cabinets for its nice smell (the riper the quince the stronger smell it has). On the other hand, my in-laws had a quince tree and my mother-in-law often made quince treats such as compote or "sulc", which is made from quince leftovers (peels and pits). It used to be the all time favorite treat in the house. Today it would probably be considered as too sweet. I never tried to make "sulc"  because the leftovers have to be cooked for a very long time.

This fall I tried quince paste at my friend's Klara. Her quince paste was from last year, hard but still very tasty. It's an incredible treat that can last for a very long time if stored properly. She had cut it in different shapes and keeps it in a nice glass dish on the table for her guests. Since this year I have gotten lots of quinces from my aunt I also made the quince Quittenkäs as well as the quince jam (recipe for the jam coming soon).

Pick only nice yellow quinces, wash, peel and cut them into quarters. Throw away the pits and the peels. In a pot put water to cover the quinces, when soft - drain and mash finely. In a cooking pan put sugar and a little water and cook until the sugar starts turning into clumps. Add the quince puree and stir frequently. Quinces are cooked when you swipe through the bottom of a pan and there is a clear track. The ratio should be 1kg quinces to 1kg sugar (but I put 1/2 kg because I think that 's enough). Put the finished mixture in a shallow clean molds, flatten with a knife or spatula and leave it there until dry (at least 3-4 days). When the mixture is dry enough cut it into squares or other shapes as you desire. Optionally, you can roll them into ground nuts or coconut. 
 

This treat is considered as a fasting sweet.

 

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ae!