Italian or European prunes are a small, dark, purple plum that is slightly sweet and sour. All prunes are plums, but not all plums are prunes. Prunes are freestone fruits, meaning you can easily free or remove the pit or stone from the flesh. Italian prunes are wonderful eaten fresh, as well as dried or canned. Prunes are delicious in a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes throughout fall and winter.
What is it related to? Italian or European (Prunus domesticus) is a fruit in the Rose family, Rosaceae. This family of plants includes a wide variety of flowers and fruits. Italian Prunes are related to apple and other pome fruit, blackberry and strawberry, almonds, and common landscape plants, including cotoneaster and spirea. Other stone fruits in the Prunus Genus are apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, and plum. The main difference between plums and prunes is that plum pits cling, while prune pits are freestone. In freestone fruits, you can easily remove the pit, making them easier to prepare for drying and canning.
When is it available? The peak season for Italian Prunes in Seattle farmers markets is August-September, but may run later.
What does it look like? Italian Prunes are egg-shaped, small, dark, purplish, smooth fruits with an indentation running the length on one side. The skin of Italian prunes is purplish-black with a chalky coating, and the plums average two inches long. The flesh inside is light colored with a green or yellow hue and a hard stone or pit that is easily removed.
What portions do I eat? The edible portion is the skin and flesh. Do not eat the hard pit common to all stone fruit.
What does it taste like? The flavor and texture is clean, slightly sweet and sour, dense, and slightly dry—less juicy than most plums.
What's the best way to store it? Store unripe Italian plums at room temperature for several days; the rosy skin of unripe plums with darken to purple-black when fully ripe. Store fresh Italian Prunes in the refrigerator for up to five days; keep in the fruit bin or in a plastic bag. If the plums begin to soften, they are overripe; plan to use them promptly. For longer storage, dry or can plums. Plums may also be frozen if packed in sugar syrup or water, or fermented into wine.
How is it prepared? Wash prunes and eat fresh, or halve or chop for use in baked goods and other dishes. Italian prunes are prepared in a variety of ways. This plum is the one used by commercial growers to produce dried prunes. You can easily dry or can prunes at home for use throughout the year.
How is it served? Fresh or canned prunes are wonderful combined with apples in compote to serve for breakfast with yogurt, or baked into a dessert cobbler. Use dried prunes in cakes, quick breads, and pastries. You can also use prunes in savory recipes, from salads to meat dishes.
What are some substitutes for it? Use fresh prunes interchangeably in recipes calling for other stone fruits, especially apricots and other variants such as aprium and pluot. Use dried prunes interchangeably in recipes calling for figs or raisins. Combine prunes with recipes calling for apples or pears.
Recipes to get you started:
- Beef Brisket with Merlot and Prunes from Epicurious
- Meatloaf with Bacon and Prunes from Epicurious
- Prune and Olive Chicken (Marbella) from Allrecipes.com
- Pork Chops Stewed with Apples and Prunes, with Mashed Sweet Potatoes from Emeril Lagasse at FoodNetwork.com
- Beet, Walnut and Prune Salad from Allrecipes.com
- Bishop’s bread recipe with raisins, nuts, and chocolate (substitute dried chopped prunes for the raisins) from Seattle Farmers Market Examiner
- Banana Prune Muffins from Allrecipes.com
- Citrus Stewed Prunes from Saveur
- Plum Crumble from the New York Times
- Plum Clafouti from Allrecipes.com
- Plum Tart from Barefoot Contessa at FoodNetwork.com
- Chocolate, Walnut and Prune Fudge Torte from Epicurious
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