How to make
A traditional healthy delicacy that was made by my grandmothers and that I made in urban conditions after many years.
Of course, nothing compares to a sun-dried pestil, but a fan oven is the solution in this case.
For this fruit dessert we need only well-ripened plums (wild plums) and patience. Mine were about two kilograms.
The plums can be yellow or red, it doesn't matter. It is important that they are well ripened and sweet, so that we do not add sugar.
The plums are well washed and strained from the water, they are then placed in a deep pot and are boiled WITHOUT water on a low heat. Mine were very large and I removed their seeds, but you can safely skip this step and leave them with the seeds.
During the boiling process they release enough liquid, you only need to stir at the beginning so that they do not burn. Now is the time to add a few geranium leaves if you like it and if you have some, but it's not a big deal if you skip this step.
Once they are fully cooked, the plums are rubbed through a sieve or colander. I know from experience that the easiest way to do it is with the reverse (rounded) part of a large ladle. Since mine were pitted and with a very thin skin, I didn't even have to rub them though. I blended them until I got a puree-like consistency.
Pour the plum puree back into the pot and boil it for ten minutes on low heat until the residual liquid evaporates, while making sure it does not burn.
Cover 2 large trays with baking paper and carefully spread the mixture in an even layer. The thicker it is, the longer it will take to dry. For mine, the thickness was less than a centimeter.
Dry the pestil in the oven with a fan at about 160°F (70 degrees) with the door slightly open. You will know that it is ready when the pestil starts to peel off easily from the paper and the top layer isn't that sticky. It took me more than 6 hours, but each oven is different.
Cut it into strips or roll it up and store the pestil in a jar or box and in a cool place.
This plum pestil is slightly sour and will definitely take you back to your childhood.
