This week’s theme for Summer Fest 2010 is stone fruit.

I scratched my head a little at first and then a light bulb went off. The choice was clear, extremely clear: LAVASHAK!! Which Iranian kid has not lusted over Lavashak over the summer months in Iran? Seriously!

You ask what is Lavashak? Persian fruit roll!

One of the yummiest summer treats for me in Iran was lavashk that my grandma used to make with fresh summer fruit. There are different types of summer fruits that can be used, but I have always loved plum lavashak because of its tart flavor. My grandma always placed it in a sunny spot on the roof or balcony for a few days. She used always advice to look carefully for small pebbles that may have gotten stuck in the lavashak as it dried outside.

Lavashak is not hard at all to make, it’s actually super easy. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I much prefer eating a homemade fruit roll instead of one of those store bought ones that have a list of ingredients that I don’t even know what they mean. What’s even more appealing about this Persian version of fruit rolls is the fact that it’s sugar free! Can it get any healthier than this??

Last year when I was over Mrs. Noura Samimi’s house she shared some of the Lavashak that she had made with us. This recipe is an adaptation of the one that she used to make hers.

Ingredients

20 plums

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup water

Wash plums and remove pit.

Place plums, water, and lemon juice in a non-stick pot. Cook on low for 30 to 45 minutes until plums have cooked all the way through and very little juice is left. Make sure to stir every so often so that the bottom does not stick.

Puree plums with a food processor.



Spray some cooking oil on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Spread the pureed plum on top in a very thin layer. You can initially bake the plum puree for one hour in a 250° oven to speed up the process.

Then cover the cookie sheet with cheese cloth and place it in the sun for a couple of days. You can skip the baking part and just leave the lavashak in the sun for 4 days instead of 2.



Once the lavashak has dried, carefully peel it off of the foil. Cut in pieces and eat away!