Red Wine Prunes with Mascarpone

This is my idea of a perfect recipe, and it's one that captures what I love about Italian food: a small list of every-day ingredients that transform almost effortlessly into something elegant, and delicious. The whole thing could not be easier --  it simmers unattended for the most part -- and the prunes, that most unglamorous of foods, become richly flavored and meltingly soft. They are then served with a topping (or underpinning) of mascarpone which provides a tart counterpoint to the sweetness of the prunes.

It's been on my list of things to make since I read about it three years ago on Luisa's wonderful blog The Wednesday Chef. The recipe originally appeared in the NY Times and comes from Frankies Spuntino, a Brooklyn restaurant. The recipe in the Times appeared under the title Wine-Stewed Prunes with Mascarpone but I notice on the Frankies Spuntino menu it's listed as Red Wine Prunes with Mascarpone which I think is a far better name. If there's one food that manages to sound even less glamorous than prunes, it's stewed prunes.

Red Wine Prunes with Mascarpone

1 pound pitted prunes (about 40)
1¼ cups sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2½ cups dry red wine
2 8-ounce containers mascarpone

1. Combine prunes, sugar, cinnamon and wine in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook 45 minutes, until liquid has turned to syrup.

2. Remove from heat, and rest at least 15 minutes. Spread a mound of mascarpone on each serving plate, top with prunes and drizzle with syrup, or mound mascarpone on top of the prunes. Serve.

Yield: 6 servings according to the recipe, about twice that many servings in my opinion.

Comments

[Elizabeth]

OOH Julie that picture looks divine! Sorry I bailed on breakfast yesterday.. I was still sleeping! Cooking for my friends on saturday wore me out. How was the market?

[roopa]

This is one of my favorite desserts! I first had it at Frankies 457 (the one in Brooklyn) about 5 years ago and I've been making it at home ever since. I made up my own recipe because it's pretty hard to go wrong with wine, sugar, and some autumn spices. Oh, and lots of mascarpone.

Your photo is beautiful - it's hard to make prunes look nice but you managed to do it!

[pigtown*design]

I can attest to its deliciousness!

[LoveFeast]

I have to tell you, I'm not a fan of prunes, but I think you may have me convinced I would love this dish!
It was nice to meet you the other night!!
~Kristin

[Tracy (Amuse-bouche for Two)]

I'm looking forward to making this at some point before the holidays. It's right up my alley.

[Anne]

This is such a perfect holiday dessert. It's simple and has the illusion of being "light." Though I guess minus the marscapone it would be light, but then why bother?

So happy you're back blogging at Kitchenography! I missed you!

[Mary]

So glad you are posting!

[nithya at hungrydesi]

Just found you from The Wednesday Chef...wow, you really did manage to make prunes look beautiful and glamorous. Looks great!

[Kitchen Butterfly]

Only a true foodie would wait 3 years to cook a recipe :-)...it looks yum too!

[betsy]

I'm bummed. I made it today for txgiving and used the exact recipe above but i didn't get a syrup.... just a much smaller amount of liquid. any ideas?

[Julie]

Betsy --

Just continue to cook it longer and it will get syrupy. If you're in a hurry, drain the liquid from the prunes back into a saucepan and turn the flame higher so it's cooking at a very brisk simmer and cook until it gets syrupy. Then once it's at the thickness you like just add the prunes back.

[Luisa]

WOW, that photo is a stunner. I mean, really!

[Jim Honash]

This recipe is delicious, and I've made it many times. But doesn't anyone feel the urge to go to the bathroom much more after eating this? Sorry for the implied vulgarity.

I'm almost considering not making it again....hrm.

[sports baseball cards]

thanks for the recipe! looks delicious! I read an article that said that the plums to help constipation problems .. this is true? I would like more information on the subject! since my husband suffers from this problem and would like to prepare recipes using that ingredient! Greetings! : D

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WOw thanks for sharing this. I just wanted to let you know that I cook this for my dad – he absolutely LOVED it. He is not a guy who usually likes gifts, and I have never seen him so happy!

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This recipe is delicious, and I've made it many times. But doesn't anyone feel the urge to go to the bathroom much more after eating this? Sorry for the implied vulgarity.

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Only a true foodie would wait 3 years to cook a recipe :-)...it looks yum too!

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