Sicilian Watermelon Gelo (Pudding)

July 7, 2011

Watermelons are piled high wherever you look. These heavy-as-boulder ones come from nearby Pachino, a town famous for its ruby-red tomatoes.

Watermelon truck in Sicily, copyright Jann Huizenga

Watermelon used to bore me, conjuring up corporate picnics, American flags, and pig-out contests.

But I like it the Sicilian way–as gelo. It’s simple and fast.

DIRECTIONS

1. Roughly cut up a 3-pound watermelon (seedless, unless you want to pick out seeds one by one as I did) and discard the rind. Puree the chunks until liquified. (I have no blender–I’m trying to live a minimalist life–so I smooshed the chunks with my fists.)

Slice of Sicilian Watermelon, copyright Jann Huizenga

2. Whisk 2/3 cups sugar and 1/2 cup cornstarch in a non-reactive pan. Whisk in the pureed watermelon. (OPTIONAL: Add jasmine flowers.) Bring the mix to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. It will take only a few minutes to thicken and bubble.

Making Sicilian Watermelon Gelo, copyright Jann Huizenga

3. Remove from the heat and stir in a teaspoon of vanilla. With a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. You can leave it in the big bowl, or spoon it out into individual serving bowls, as I did. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.

Making Sicilian Watermelon Gelo, copyright Jann Huizenga

4. To serve, garnish with some or all of the following: grated dark chocolate, ground cinnamon, chopped pistachios, jasmine flowers. Serve with whipped cream if you like the calories.

Sicilian Watermelon Gelo (Pudding), copyright Jann Huizenga

This recipe was adapted from Saveur. Hope you enjoy it!

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