Sometimes the simplest things are the best. And today we are featuring peaches in red wine, a dessert that takes practically no effort to make. The fruit is softened a bit with a mixture of sugar and lemon, then bathed in red wine. That’s really all there is to it. However simple this non-recipe may be, when your peaches are at their height of flavor as they are now, this result is absolutely sublime. And even when you only have indifferent fruit to work with, this simple two-step method will bring out their flavor like no other I know.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
- 6 peaches, cut into wedges
- 75g (6 Tbs) granulated sugar
- Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
- Red wine, q.b.
Directions
Wash the peaches well in cold water, then cut them into wedges, discarding the pits, and place the wedges in a mixing bowl. (You can also peel them if you like, though I don’t—see Notes below.) Sprinkle the peach wedges with the sugar and the juice of half a lemon. Mix gently with a rubber spatula to avoid bruising—ripe peaches are quite delicate—and allow the peaches to rest for about 15 minutes or so, or until the sugar has dissolved and the fruit has softened a bit.
Place the macerated peach wedges into individual serving bowls or glasses. Add enough red wine to each bowl or glass just to barely cover the peaches and allow them to macerate for a further 30 minutes or more. The longer they macerate in the wine, the more potent the wine taste will be—too long a maceration and the taste of the wine will come to dominate. I find that 30-60 minutes or so provides the right balance between wine and peach, but this is a matter of taste.
Notes
To peel or not to peel? I rather prefer to leave peaches unpeeled myself. Indeed, there is an old saying in Italian:
Pela il fico all’amico e la pesca al nemico.
which means, “peel figs for your friend, but peel peaches for your enemy”. You see, it was said that the peel of the fig was unhealthy, but that of the peach aided the digestion. These days, many people maintain that the peach peel is also unhealthy, as it retains traces of the insecticides and whatever other chemicals are used in their cultivation—not a worry, of course, if the peaches are organically grown.
Just about any red wine will work with this dish, according to your taste. Personally, I prefer a lighter red like a pinot noir or a young Chianti that won’t overwhelm the peaches; a nice, easy-going, medium-bodied Spanish red like a Tempranillo or Jumilla are also fine choices. And needless to say, don’t bother with anything too expensive. And, for a brighter version especially nice in summer, you can use white wine, or a rosé for that matter, instead of red.
Peaches in white wine are also lovely.
A more complex (and, to my mind, wintery) variation on this simple dish calls for mulling the wine with sugar and a cinnamon stick and/or cloves before adding it to the peaches. And you can also use honey instead of sugar.
Of course, beyond peaches in red wine, other fruits like apples, pears, tangerines, apricots, strawberries and even citrus fruits, lend themselves very well to this general treatment. (For details, see post on macedonia di frutta.) In the colder months, pears simmered in red wine provide a heartier variation on the theme.
Pesche al vino rosso (Peaches in Red Wine)
Ingredients
- 6 peaches cut into wedges
- 75 g 6 Tbs granulated sugar
- Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
- Red wine q.b.
Instructions
- Wash the peaches well in cold water, then cut them into wedges, discarding the pits, and place the wedges in a mixing bowl. (You can also peel them if you like, though I don't—see Notes below.) Sprinkle the peach wedges with the sugar and the juice of half a lemon. Mix gently with a rubber spatula to avoid bruising—ripe peaches are quite delicate—and allow the peaches to rest for about 15 minutes or so, or until the sugar has dissolved and the fruit has softened a bit.
- Place the macerated peach wedges into individual serving bowls or glasses. Add enough red wine to each bowl or glass just to barely cover the peaches and allow them to macerate for a further 30 minutes or more. The longer they macerate in the wine, the more potent the wine taste will be—too long a maceration and the taste of the wine will come to dominate. I find that 30-60 minutes or so provides the right balance between wine and peach, but this is a matter of taste.
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15 Comments on “Pesche al vino rosso (Peaches in Red Wine)”
Me again. I can’t seem to resist commenting on this post every five years or so! But as I mentioned, it is a recipe close to my heart, because my paternal grandfather loved peaches in wine. My cousins in the old country have numerous fruit trees and don’t spray any of them. If a bird or insect gets into one part of the fruit, they simply cut it away and enjoy the other part. What better use for all of these salvaged pieces than peaches & wine?! A Neapolitan friend of mine insists that only percoche (clingstone peaches) can be used for this, because pesche (freestone peaches) are too soft and macerate too quickly. I disagree with him. As you rightly said, most any fruit can be used. And as you also rightly said, one needs only to control the maceration time.
Ha! Interesting tip from your Neapolitan friend! But I agree with you, you can just adjust maceration times to account for how soft the fruit is. And anyway where I live there’s not much choice!
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Picking up a bushel of peaches from a friend tonight, who grows them in her yard/farm. They have a short shelf life since she does not use pesticides. How long will the peaches in wine last? Probably shouldn’t refrigerate, as the peaches will lose flavor…Thanks
They will last quite a while, but the longer they sit in the wine, the “boozier” they’ll get. For me, after a day the wine begins to overwhelm the peaches. So I’m not sure it would do for storing a whole bushel of peaches over several weeks, say. You’d probably need a stronger spirit for that. But I wouldn’t be too worried about the fridge, in fact, some people prefer this dish chilled.
In general, did the Italians of yesteryear consume this with a fork? Or did they cut the peaches small enough to simply use their mouth? (I am particularly curious about this because family legend has it that my paternal grandfather liked peaches & wine).
All great questions, Leonardo. I can’t speak for the Italians of yesteryear, but personally I eat this dish with a spoon, so I can get a bit of peach and wine in every bite…
When we travel to Elba, we often have peaches with Aleatico, traditional sweet dessert wine made on the island. And don’t ask me why, but Elban peaches are some of the best I have had in Italy. So this recipe you posted always makes me think of sun, beaches and crystal clear water.
Sounds like paradise to me…
Every year we go to Naples where I have 26 cousins….and sure enough
every year my cousins serve this……….peaches in red wine……delish…
Warmly, Carol from Chicago.
Sounds like a really fun bunch, Carol! Thanks for stopping by.
I agree with you about the simplest things sometimes being the best. You need the best peaches possible though. My parents used to serve this when I was growing up and it brings back good memories.
Glad I could bring those memories, Linda. :=)
Love it. My paternal grandfather used to have peaches with wine. Now I’m curious whether he just simply put the peaches in the wine, or whether he added the lemon and sugar. Now, here’s something you didn’t address: is there any silverware involved in the consumption of this dish?
Ha! Silverware is optional… ;=)