If we had to think about summer and the best way to make it less hot, the Sicilian granita would be the protagonist of our days. Even today, for the Sicilians, savoring a granita is a sort of ritual , a convivial moment and social relationships from which calories and diets remain excluded. Do you know where the original Sicilian granita comes from? From distant times, when Sicily was still under Arab domination. Here's everything you need to know
History of Sicilian granita: the origins
Where does the real Sicilian granita come from? Tradition has it that it first evolved on the eastern side of the island and then "invaded" it entirely from coast to coast. Moreover, since the Middle Ages there was a very particular profession, that of the " nivaroli ". Who were they? Men who during the winter were responsible for collecting the snow on Etna, on the Peloritani, Iblei or Nebrodi mountains, and all year round, kept it in the "neviere", preserving it from the summer heat, and then transported it to the seashore in the summer months. You may not believe it but even today you can see the ice storage holes finished in brick or stone.
Who consumed all the snow collected in the cold months? The local nobles, patricians, who bought the snow from Etna in the periods of greatest drought, to then keep it in special "houses for snow". The latter were located in natural ravines and/or in very cool places, in order to keep the snow away from the heat.
Finally, the snow was scraped off and used for the preparation of sorbets and ice creams to be enjoyed in times of heat. To make it tastier, they poured squeezed lemon juice or fruit or flower syrups on top. Other flavors? At the time, they prepared it with coffee, mulberries and almonds, above all because the area was thriving with almond groves.
Preparation of granita, how it has changed
Its realization was widespread until the early twentieth century with the name " rattata " (scratched). Over the years, the recipe for " sharbat " ( sorbet , in Arabic) has improved a lot: it was discovered that snow could be used mixed with sea salt: the collected snow thus went from being an ingredient to a refrigerant.
The "pozzetto" was also born, a wooden barrel with a zinc bucket inside, which could be turned with a knob. The empty space was filled with the mixture of salt and snow closed by a rolled up and flattened jute sack. The mixture froze the contents of the well by heat subtraction, and the rotary movement of some blades inside prevented the formation of too large ice crystals.
The preparation of the Sicilian granita is unique and manages to give a "flaky" consistency to the product. Imperceptible to the palate being made with water, sugar and fruit, the granita has replaced the "rattata" over the centuries.
During the 20th century, snow was replaced by water, and honey by sugar, the manual well cooled by ice (or snow) and salt. Thanks to cold technology, the batch freezer has been supplanted by the ice cream maker, making it possible to produce that unmistakable creamy mixture, free of air and full of flavor which, thanks to its peculiar characteristics, is known and boasted all over the world with the name of “Sicilian Granita”.
Sicilian granita, original recipe
After talking about the story, let's move on to the recipe for the Sicilian granita and we do it starting with the lemon one , the most common and widespread in every province. If we think about it, the essential ingredients of every granita are water, sugar and the raw material responsible for the taste of the moment. Isn't it amazing how such masterpieces can come out of their combination? Here's how to make Sicilian granita at home.
Ingredients
- 2 glasses of water
- 1 glass of lemon juice
- 1 and 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon of starch
Preparation of the granita
- Mix the sugar with the starch and add the lemon juice and water. All cold.
- Mix well to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a container with low walls and possibly steel.
- Transfer to the freezer and remember to stir from time to time.
- When it has solidified, you can enjoy the granita in two ways: "scratching" it with a spoon or blending it into large pieces in the blender for a few seconds.
Strawberry Sicilian granita, the Messina recipe
Strawberry granita from Messina is part of the Sicilian culinary heritage. Take a tour of the island's ice cream parlors during the summer: you cannot fail to notice, at the tables, an invasion of white and pink glasses (the colors of whipped cream and strawberries, to be clear) ready to end up being sunk by impatient teaspoons . Strawberry granita is one of the most "discounted" in terms of tastes, but it never goes out of style.
Sicilian pistachio granita
The Sicilian pistachio granita is one of the flagships of the Sicilian summer pastry. Finding the priceless green gold in the form of a cold and delicious creamy compound is priceless, just as dipping your tuppo in it and bringing it to your mouth is priceless. If you are a pistachio fan, you absolutely must try it once you arrive on the island, or in any case make it at home. You can't even imagine what you would miss.
Sicilian granita with the Sicilyaddict Kit
The recipe for strawberry granita with the Sicilyaddict kit is beginner-proof. Let's start with the ingredients:
- Still water
- Sugar
- Strawberry juice
Preparation
- Take a container and pour 3/4 of the contents into it, put the rest in the fridge. Put the preparation in the freezer for about six hours.
- After these, take the mixture and mix it well: do you remember the leftover liquid?
- Take it out of the fridge and pour some into a blender. Add the frozen part to the liquid part. Blend everything and enjoy!
The Sicilian strawberry granita is ready! Pour it into glasses and serve it on the table accompanied by a delicious brioche!
Sicilian granita with the Thermomix
Anyone who has it knows that making granita with the Thermomix is child's play. It requires nothing more than inserting the ingredients into the food processor in the specified order by setting, from time to time, the functions and times required for preparation. In just a few steps, you will get the Sicilian summer dessert that you can enjoy on a hot sunny day. All Sicilian granitas can be prepared with the Thermomix , don't worry.
Granita and brioche, how do you eat it?
Eating real granita is a ritual: you can't do it on your own, you would be immediately "discovered". To know how to best eat this pairing, the undisputed protagonist of the typical Sicilian breakfast in the summer, we give you some tips.
- Granita with cream divides. There are those who mix it immediately creating a delicious cream and those who, on the other hand, prefer to taste the two layers separately.
- In the case of granita and brioche , on the other hand, the tuppo (that is the small ball that surmounts the latter) is dipped in the glass before anything else. The brioche accompanies the granita from start to finish: they must go hand in hand, in short.
The calories of Sicilian granita
If you are observant of the figure, you will be pleased to find out how the calories of the Sicilian granita are not such as to compromise the diet . Not, at least, by enjoying it without cream and brioche with tuppo (which for Sicilians is a heresy, but oh well…). So:
- a fruit granita contains about 200 kcal
- an almond granita contains about 250 kcal
- a chocolate granita contains about 300 kcal
- a granita with brioche contains about 500 kcal
What are the typical flavors of Sicilian granita
The flavors of the Sicilian granita are ready to satisfy all preferences. Even if not all those around are typical, it is worth knowing them to discover a colorful and greedy world like few others.
The coffee granita and the strawberry granita are typical specialties of Messina. In both cases, their death is to be surmounted by a more or less thick layer of cream. In the Catania area, on the other hand, the Bronte pistachio granita and the minnulata are the most popular: i.e. the almond granita enriched with a spoonful of coffee (amazing).
The mulberry granita is another of the Sicilian gems that you compete to order during the period of these delicious fruits. The lemon granita is a must.
Curiosity about Sicilian granita
If you love discovering the background related to your favorite foods, you absolutely must read the following curiosities :
- In a magical territory, that of the Madonie (precisely in Piano Principessa, at 1900 meters above sea level) there is still a niviera, the only one where it is possible to make ice cream as it was once done. It is rare to find a master gelato maker who practices past traditions, only one does and his name is Antonio Cappadonia .
- There are innumerable Sicilian idioms associated with granita: " comu 'na nivera " is used to indicate a particularly cold and inhospitable environment for human beings.
- There is also a legend concerning the granita. It is the one linked to a Phoenician princess named Oxiria who arrived in Sicily to look for her beloved. In order to preserve its beauty, it seems that it bought up a miraculous blend of snow from Etna, honey and candied citrus fruits. It looks very similar to the granita we all know, right? Apparently, it could be the elixir of eternal beauty.
- Did you know that the only flavors recognized by Sicilian pastry laboratories are: almond, coffee, chocolate, lemon, strawberry, peach, pistachio and mulberry ? All others are drafts. A bar that offers granita does not need to show the sign that reads: " True Sicilian granita"
- The last gem we want to reveal to you is that, using the phrase "mezza con panna" without specifying the taste, you will only be served a coffee granita with cream .
- The cream must necessarily be sweetened with a touch of vanilla (no vegetable cream) and can be eaten in only two ways, but we have already revealed these to you above.
