Petimezi - Greek Grape Syrup

Total Time: 26 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 24 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 10 lbs grapes, fresh
• 4 inches piece bread, very dry (use 1 t clean ash to be authentic)
• 2 sprigs thyme (optional) or 3 mint leaves (optional) or 3 dried chamomile (optional)
• 5 cups unsweetened grape juice

Recipe

• 1 version 1:.
• 2 crush grapes in a food mill and extract as much juice as possible and discard the all parts of the grape sans juice.
• 3 transfer juice to a strainer lined with cheesecloth set over a large pot.
• 4 allow to drain thoroughly, pressing down on the pulp occasionally until all the juice has collected in the pot - this can be done in batches if your strainer is not large enough to hold all the grapes.
• 5 tie the ash or bread in a small piece of the cloth and submerge it in the grape juice. place the pot on the stove and bring the juice to boil over medium heat.
• 6 reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.
• 7 set the pot aside and let it stand overnight. (the ash brings the juice to the top and any sediment will sink to the bottom.).
• 8 the next day, remove the ask and carefully pour the clarified grape juice into a second pot, leaving all the sediment behind in the first pot.
• 9 place the juice over medium heat, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the juice reaches the consistency of of maple syrup or molasses - 235 f on a candy thermometer or about 45-60 minutes. do not let the liquid boil over or burn but just bubble briskly.
• 10 allow the syrup to cool slightly and then transfer it to clean glass containers. stir in any optional leaves now.
• 11 store in the refrigerator indefinitely.
• 12 version 2:.
• 13 bring juice to boil over medium to medium-high heat and cook until 235 f on a candy thermometer or about 1 hour.
• 14 the liquid should be dense but pourable, like honey, when cooled.