WATERMELON GRANITA
As much as we love the soothing whirr of our ice cream machines, sometimes it’s nice to make a low-tech frozen dessert, especially if we’re guests in someone’s house—someone who most likely doesn’t own an ice cream maker. Most people we know own a blender, and it takes just a minute to puree the fruit with sugar and lime juice, pour it into a dish, and place the whole mess in the freezer. A few scrapes with a fork, and a couple of hours later, your granita is ready!
Ben and I discovered watermelon granita at this wonderful old-timey place, Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar, in Melbourne, an Italian lunch counter with an old nonna dishing up amazing plates of pasta. Pellegrini’s was also home to Melbourne’s first espresso machine way back in the 1950s and to this day continues its tradition of expertly made coffee—and, clearly, other things too!
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS
4 cups cubed seedless watermelon
½ cup (100 grams) sugar
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1. In a blender, combine the watermelon, sugar, and lime juice and puree until smooth. Transfer the pureed watermelon to a 9-inch square dish and freeze for 1 hour.
2. Using a fork, scrape the contents of the pan, mashing any frozen parts so the mixture stays slushy. Cover; freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Using a fork, scrape the granita vigorously to form icy flakes. The granita will keep, frozen, for up to 2 days.