Chef Britt shares her journey on how to make nocino! A traditional Italian liqueur made using unripe black walnuts.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Green walnut infusion: Quartered unripe walnuts steep in vodka and give nocino its dark color and bittersweet, slightly spiced flavor.
- Warm-spice supporting cast: Cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, and lemon zest round out the walnut's bitterness without covering it.
- Two-stage timeline: Six weeks of steeping, then six weeks maturing with the sugar added, lets the harsh edges soften before bottling.
- Sipping or mixing flexibility: The finished liqueur works as an aperitif on its own or as a cocktail ingredient.
Making Nocino
Britt Shoffner
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Servings
1 Quart of Liqueur
Chef Britt brings you the authentic recipe of Italy with her nocino liqueur - made with unripened black walnuts. Learn the traditional recipe, and bring the flavor of Italy to you.
Ingredients
- 30 unripe walnuts
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 whole cloves
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- Zest of one lemon, cut into strips using a vegetable peeler
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 liter vodka of your choice
Directions
Wearing protective gloves, cut green walnuts into quarters and place into a 2-quart mason jar with cinnamon sticks, half of a vanilla bean, cloves, and lemon zest peels. Cover contents with one liter of vodka and shake vigorously. Place the jar in a window for six weeks, coming back every other day to shake the contents of the jar. Add sugar and allow nocino to mature another six weeks while coming back once a week to shake the jar. Strain the contents of the jar out after the secondary six weeks is up. Bottle and serve as an apéritif or in a cocktail.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why wear gloves when cutting the green walnuts?
Unripe walnut husks release a compound that stains skin dark brown and doesn't wash off easily, so gloves keep your hands clean while you quarter the nuts.
Why quarter the walnuts instead of leaving them whole?
Cutting them exposes more of the green flesh and husk to the vodka, which pulls out more flavor and color over the six-week steep.
Why shake the jar every other day during the first six weeks?
Regular shaking keeps the vodka circulating around the walnut pieces and spices so they infuse evenly, rather than the liquid at the top sitting unchanged.
Why add the sugar after the first six weeks instead of at the start?
Waiting lets the vodka draw out the walnut's bitter, tannic flavors first. The sugar then softens them during the second six-week maturation, once the flavor has been established.
Why keep the jar in a window?
This recipe uses a sunny window for the steeping period, a traditional method meant to warm the jar gently and help the infusion along. A warm, bright spot works better than a cold one.
How long does nocino need to age before it's ready?
This recipe takes 12 weeks in total, six weeks of steeping and six weeks of maturing with sugar, before straining and bottling.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
5 out of 5. It needs no grill, stove, or oven. A sealed jar and a bright shelf or windowsill are all that's required.
Recipe Highlights
Green walnut infusion: Gives nocino its dark color and bittersweet flavor.
Warm spice and citrus: Rounds out the walnut's bitterness.
Two-stage aging: Softens harsh edges before bottling.
Neat or mixed: Works as an aperitif or cocktail ingredient.
