Granita is an icy dessert which has been stirred with a fork while it freezes from Italy. I did not try granita when I was in Italy back in '05. I was so fixated with their gelati, I didn't even notice if it was available. But my ice cream making recipe book tells me it's very popular - so popular that some Italians put it in bread and eat it for breakfast. I thought I'd take a small hiatus from making summer popsicles and see what the granita fuss is all about. I had a pound of strawberries in my fridge just waiting for this event. I added more water because compared to popsicles, granita is very intensely flavoured. Too intense, in my opinion.
1 pound strawberries
3 tablespoons honey (the recipe called for sugar)
1 cup water (or more, you'll have to decide, the recipe calls for a half cup)
A few drops freshly squeezed lemon - I used lime and it was delicious
Slice strawberries and toss with honey, stirring until it starts to dissolve. Let sit for up to an hour, stirring every so often.
Combine with liquids. Purée in blender until smooth. Press through a strainer to remove seeds. This is optional, but I think it adds a nice smooth texture to your liquid.
Pour into a dish and place in freezer. Start checking after the first hour. Once it begins to freeze around the edges, stir with a fork, breaking up the frozen parts and raking towards centre. If you leave it too long, leave it out to melt a bit. Keep stirring until it's all frozen, similar to shaved ice.
Enjoy with ice cream, whipped cream, or alone.
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