Grape Jam (for recipe see "Jams and Marmalades")

Pizzelle cookies (Use any pizzelle recipe of your choice, or if you prefer, use store-bought ones)

Take a pizzelle cookie and spread some grape jam (preferably home-made) on it.

Top it with another pizzelle cookie.

Of all the Italian desserts, Molise's famous grape jam sandwich is the one which I associate with my childhood the most, even though I rarely had the pleasure of eating it. In the 1960s, when I was growing up, the pizzelle grape jam sandwich was only served at very, very special events. I suppose the reason it didn't show up very frequently is because most households only made a few jars of grape jam each year (when they made their wine), so there wasn't much of it to go round. I had no idea when I was a child why people made so little of it -- now I do. Having tried to make grape jam myself, I am now aware just how labour-intensive it is. It takes hours to de-seed the grapes and then hours and hours to cook the pulp. So, it's no surprise grape jam was never ever served on bread, as breakfast food! Nor was it ever eaten as a snack. Oh God no! Prior to 1970 the famous Molise pizzelle grape jam sandwich was reserved for weddings, baptisms and maybe, if you were lucky, on your birthday..... P.S. A contributor, whose family also comes from Casacalenda, indicated that this type of cookie was known as "ngellach...." Photo: by the contributor.

Back to main list