If the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of lemon as an ingredient is the wedge stuck on the rim of a cocktail glass, we have great news for you: a lemon slice in a cocktail is wonderful, but with our organic Femminello Siracusano Lemon, you can do so much more!
The Femminello Siracusano Lemon blooms four times a year, yielding extraordinary fruit each time. Thanks to this variety, we harvest excellent, juicy, organic lemons all year round, rich in Vitamin C and with a rind highly fragrant with essential oils.
Primofiore (October – April): thin, bright yellow rind, juicy pulp, and an unmistakable aroma. The quintessential lemon!
Bianchetto (April – May): smooth, light yellow rind with a slight green tint, as fresh and unique as its earlier brother.
Maiolino (May – June): light green rind with yellow highlights. It guides us into the warmer months with freshness, fragrance, and excellent juiciness.
Verdello (July – September): thicker, bright green rind, even when fully ripe, due to the minimal temperature variation of the summer months. Its delicious juice is the king of granitas, ice creams, and lemonades. The rind is perfect for making limoncello!
Desserts, liqueurs, dressings, and much more: the organic Siracusa lemon is a versatile ingredient, perfect even for unexpected recipes like pasta. And nothing goes to waste: when a lemon is like ours—delicious and 100% organic—the rind is fully edible and becomes the star of many dishes.
We have selected four perfect recipes for you to enjoy our lemons in all their flavor.
Which one is your favorite?
Spaghetti with Organic Siracusa Lemon
Ingredients: 90–100 grams of spaghetti per person, 1 lemon and 1 clove of garlic for every 2 people, Extra virgin olive oil, as needed, Pasta cooking water, as needed, Toasted breadcrumbs, as needed, Chili pepper, to taste
- Peel the lemons, taking care to separate the rind from the white pith. Squeeze them, setting the juice aside. Grate a little zest and set it aside.
- Place the rinds in the water that will be used to cook the spaghetti, to scent and flavor it.
- Gently toast the garlic in a pan with the extra virgin olive oil and grated lemon zest, removing it from the heat as soon as the garlic turns golden.
- When the water with the lemon rinds comes to a boil, add salt and the pasta. Drain the pasta very al dente, reserving some of the cooking water, then transfer it to the pan to finish cooking, creaming it with the reserved cooking water and lemon juice. At this stage, the pasta will release starch, creating a smooth creaminess.
- Once the pasta reaches the desired doneness and the sauce has thickened into a cream, plate and garnish with extra virgin olive oil, chili pepper, toasted breadcrumbs, and grated lemon zest.
Candied Organic Siracusa Lemon Peels
Ingredients: Equal amounts of lemon peel, water, and sugar, Granulated sugar for coating
- Peel the lemons, taking care to separate the peels from the white pith. Cut the peels into strips and blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes, repeating three times and changing the water each time. This process removes the bitter aftertaste from the peel and is also used when making marmalade.
- Dissolve the sugar in the water in a small saucepan, then add the blanched peels and cook over low-medium heat until all the syrup is absorbed.
- Once the syrup is fully absorbed, place the peels on parchment paper to dry for at least 24 hours (preferably a couple of days).
- Afterward, coat them with granulated sugar. Alternatively, dip them into melted dark chocolate.
Organic Siracusa Lemon Granita
Ingredients: Equal amounts of lemon juice and water, Half the amount of sugar (relative to water/juice), Grated zest of 1 lemon
- Mix the water and sugar in a bowl until the sugar completely dissolves. This step can also be done in a saucepan over low heat to create a syrup, which must then be allowed to cool to room temperature.
- Add the lemon juice and grated zest.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow aluminum baking pan and place it in the freezer for at least three hours, making sure to stir everything with a fork and spoon every half hour so that the classic granita ice crystals form without solidifying completely.
- If you prefer a softer texture, after about 3–4 hours you can transfer the mixture into a high-sided container and blend it briefly with an immersion blender.
Organic Siracusa Lemon Limoncello
Ingredients: 6 lemons, 500 ml pure grain alcohol (95° ABV, food grade), 350 g sugar, 500 ml water
- Wash the lemons and peel them, taking care not to include the white pith (a paring knife or vegetable peeler works best).
- Place the peels with the alcohol in an airtight glass container. Leave to macerate for 15 days, shaking the container once a day. The alcohol will absorb the color and oils of the peels, while the peels will turn almost white.
- After 15 days, prepare the syrup in a small saucepan by mixing the water and sugar over low heat until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Pour the alcohol into the saucepan using a strainer to filter out the peels and any remaining residue.
- Bottle and store.
- Pro tip: The perfect lemon for limoncello is the Verdello: its thick and aromatic rind gives the liqueur greater fragrance and flavor, but it turns out delicious with all four blooms!
BioSikelia is also a member of the Consorzio di Tutela del Limone di Siracusa IGP, adhering to its strict regulations to guarantee a Femminello lemon coming exclusively from the lemon groves of Siracusa and its province, grown and harvested according to tradition.