LIMONCELLO, ARANCELLO AND MANDARINETTO (LEMON, ORANGE AND TANGERINE LIQUEURS)

Ingredients: 

• 1 liter of alcohol at 95 º
• the zest of 12 lemons (10 tangerines, 6 oranges)
• 2 ¼ cups of sugar
• 1/2 liter of water
• 16 leaves of lemon (optional)

Peel the lemons with a zester or a vegetable peeler so there is no white pith on the zests.

Put the lemon zests, the lemon leaves and the alcohol in an airtight jar.

Let soak for 2 weeks in a dark place.

Shake from time to time.

Make a syrup with the sugar and the water.

If you prefer a less alcoholic liqueur make the syrup with 3/4 of liter of water and 2 ½ cups of sugar.

Filter the alcohol and add the syrup.

Bottle and let it rest for other 2 weeks.

Serve chilled.       

Limoncello is a typical Southern Italian liqueur.
The most famous are produced in Naples, Amalfi (a beautiful town near to Naples) and in Sicily.
The other two famous citrus liqueur are Arancello (orange zest liqueur) and Mandarinetto (tangerine zest liqueur).

To prepare the Arancello use the zests of 6 oranges and substitute the lemon leaves with 2 tablespoons of orange blossoms.

To prepare the Mandarinetto use the zests of 6 ripe tangerine, the zests of 6 green tangerines and substitute the lemon leaves with 5 lemon balm leaves and a clove.