Watermelon Granita

Watermelon granita is a cool delight, especially during the hot summer months. Here’s how to prepare it with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 800 g of watermelon (seedless)
• 100 g of sugar (or less, depending on the sweetness of the watermelon)
• The juice of half a lemon
• A few leaves of fresh mint (optional, for garnish)

Preparation

1. Cut the watermelon into pieces, removing any seeds.
2. Blend the watermelon pieces in a blender until you have a liquid puree.
3. Strain the liquid obtained through a fine mesh strainer to remove any pieces of pulp and leftover seeds.
4. In a bowl, mix the watermelon puree with sugar and lemon juice until the sugar has completely dissolved.
5. Pour the mixture into a low and wide tray and put it in the freezer.
6. Every 30-60 minutes, with the help of a fork, “grate” the icy surface to create the granita’s typical grainy texture.
7. Repeat the operation several times until the entire mixture has become grainy.

Serve in glasses or cups, garnished with fresh mint leaves if you like.

Fun Fact

Granita is a typical preparation of Sicilian cuisine, and the watermelon version is perfect for cooling off due to the high water content of the fruit and the addition of lemon which adds a pleasant touch of acidity. In Sicily, it is traditional to serve it with a “brioche col tuppo,” offering a contrasting experience of flavors and temperatures.