Never heard of granita?
As a huge fan, I could not be happier to introduce you!
Technically, granita is semi-frozen treat made with ice, sugar, and a flavor – usually fruit or nuts. You may be thinking … so, it’s sorbet … or Italian ice? Nope … it’s different!
Granita is frozen using a different technique than sorbet and Italian ice, which results in it having less air and coarser ice granules. Instead of being creamy and smooth, granita is more beverage-like and sometimes slightly crunchy.
Like a snow cone or a slushie? No, no … Snow cones and slushies make me think of flavored syrups, bright colors, and convenience stores. Granita – on the other hand – is all about quality and age-old techniques.
The origins of granita go all the way back to the 800s when the Arabs occupied Sicily.
The Arabs shared their technique for making sherbet, and Sicilians used this knowledge to create their own type of chilly treat.
During the winters, men called nivaroli would go up the mountains of Sicily to collect snow and conserve it for months in holes in the ground. By the 1500s, they were using this snow to produce a granita similar to the one being made and enjoyed today.
In Sicily, each province has its own spin on granita. The most popular flavors, however, are fairly universal as they are derived from the island’s natural treasures including pistacchio, almond, lemon, mulberry, and strawberry.
Most commonly, granita is enjoyed in the summer at breakfast time.
It is often served with whipped cream – and alongside a brioscia col tuppo – an unfilled Sicilian pastry that is perfect for dipping! (Important side note … If you like brioscia – which I think is pretty impossible not to like – you can also order a brioscia con gelato at a gelateria – like a gelato sandwich!)
My favorite thing about granita may just be that you can find it any time of day, not only for breakfast. So, if you’re in Sicily during the summer, why not start and end each day with it? (At least that’s what I do!)
Italian Vocabulary related to Granita
All Around Italia helps you learn about Italy and also learn Italian! Here are some words related to granita. Have you heard these before?
semi-congelato – semi-frozen
La granita è un dolce semi-congelato. / Granita is a semi-frozen sweet treat.
la mandorla – almond
Mandorla è il mio gusto preferito di granita. / Almond is my favorite flavor of granita.
il gelso – mulberry
La granita al gelso è anche molto buona. / Mulberry granita is also very good.
Recipe - Make Granita al limone
Bring Italy into your everyday life by making (and eating!) granita al limone.
Check out this video recipe from VivoMangiando to make granita al limone at home! No special equipment needed. This is a fun recipe to make with little kids as you can squeeze the lemons together and take turns breaking up the ice crystals. It takes a few hours of waiting and checking on the granita in the freezer, but is worth it!
The video recipe has Italian subtitles explaining the steps. I have also provided a rough translation of the recipe in English below.
Ingredients (6 servings)
4 1/4 cups water (1 liter)
1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (300 ml) – about 5 lemons
2 cups sugar (400 gr)
Preparation
Bring the water to a boil. Add the sugar. Optionally add some of the lemon peel while the water is boiling. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the flame and leave to cool completely. Remove the lemon peel if you added it.
While the water is cooling, squeeze the lemons, and filter the lemon juice. Add the lemon juice to the water.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker or a freezer-safe container.
If using an ice cream maker, simply let it churn until the granita reaches your desired consistency.
If making the granita by hand, put the mixture in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Then, remove from the freezer and break up the ice crystals using a fork. Put the granita back in the freezer for another hour, and then mix it again. Continue until you obtain the desired consistency. The longer you leave the granita in the freezer and the more times you mix it, the finer the ice crystals will be. If it freezers over too much, you can put it in a blender to form a creamy consistency.
For other easy dessert recipes from different regions of Italy, check out our posts on Baci di Dama, Baci di Alassio, and Tiramisu’.
Buon appetito!
