Filippo & Rosa Francavilla’s Limoncello Recipe
(as enjoyed at the Crachesi del Nord America Reunion)
1 liter whole grain alcohol
8 lemons (yellow skin only)
1 liter water
10 oz. (about 1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
2 oz. (about 3 tablespoons) Karo Syrup
Take yellow skins from the 8 lemons (use a vegetable peeler to get the thin skins and avoid getting the white pith) and place in glassware with a lid, add one liter whole grain alcohol. Cover tightly and let sit for 3 to 4 days.
On the 3rd or 4th day, boil one liter of water, remove from heat and add sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let mixture cool.
Take the alcohol and lemon peels and strain liquid into bowl. Then combine the cooled sugar water to the lemon mixture. Give a quick stir and then add Karo Syrup. Mix thoroughly and place in glass bottles. Keep this in the freezer at all times. The bottle will not break or explode in the freezer because of the alcohol.
Saluti! Filippo and Rosa Francavilla
Alternative Recipe (if grain alcohol is not available, try this)
1 dozen large lemons
1 750 ml bottle of vodka
2 cups sugar
3 cups water
Peel thin strips of the lemons avoiding the subdermous white pith. Steep the peels in vodka for a week or longer in a glass container or crock until the peels have lost their color. Strain. Make simple syrup by dissolving sugar and water over medium heat on a stove and let it cool. Add the sugar syrup to the lemon-infused vodka. Keep chilled in the refrigerator; not in the freezer – this version is not made with whole grain alcohol and it will freeze.