The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful places in the world. And, it’s the very best place to try a lemon or melon granita. Why’s that? It’s hot!
I’m talking just got out of the shower and I already look like I ran a half marathon, hot. And that’s only at sunrise. By midday, locals scamper to their dark homes, shutters down and lights out. The town appears to be preparing for an apocalypse that everyone is ready for except the tourists. At around 5 pm, the stores reopen, the locals slowly stray from their homes, restaurants gape their doors wide, and pre-apocalyptic life resumes. What is the best part of all this heat? Why the granitas, of course.
A granita stand along the Amalfi Coast Highway
Granitas are an icy treat caught somewhere between an Italian ice, a sorbet, a gelato, and a slushy. Originally thought to be derived from Sicily, granitas can now be found all over Italy. They are served for breakfast, snacks, and dessert. The most popular flavors are lemon, melon, mandarine, coffee, and almond. The list goes on and on.
Anytime I could get my hands on anything melon, I was all about it. The lemon is the most popular flavor along the Amalfi Coast. Yes, it’s tart and sweet and satisfying on all levels… but melon granita is absolutely my go-to.
Since my craving for a melon granita has yet to subside, I decided I would try my hand at recreating the granitas at home. I added some mint to enhance the melon and eliminated the processed white sugar for a healthier spin. If I do say so myself… the results are refreshingly delicious.
How to transport yourself to the Amalfi Coast with melon granitas.
Start with cantaloupe (or really any melon you have on hand), honey, lime, and mint. Just four ingredients for refreshing and delicious melon granitas!
First, slice the melon, remove the rind, scoop out the seeds, and cut the melon into small cubes. Don’t stress too much. As long as you have a powerful blender the chunks can be rather large!
After cubing the melon and juicing a lime, add the melon, lime, honey, and mint leaves to a blender and blend!
Within seconds, the mixture will look like this. A beautiful orange color much like the homes that line Positano.
Once the mixture is smooth, do a quick taste test! If it is not sweet enough feel free to add some more honey.
Take a 9×13 inch pan and pour the mixture into an even layer. So good already, I could drink it just like this!
Here’s the tricky part. Finding space in your freezer! This was a difficult task for me. I was forced to eat some ice-cream to make it fit… ok, not exactly forced.
Now it is time to relax and sleep off that ice-cream. After about three hours, open the freezer and scrape the top layer with a fork to form crystals.
Scrape away! This is the fun part. Once you are done, put the whole pan back in the freezer for a few more hours and repeat!
Store in the freezer and serve when ready. The crystals will last at least a week in the freezer if covered properly. Some extra scraping may need to be done before serving but otherwise they are all set! Top with fresh fruit, mint, vodka…. just saying… and eat! Warning: Consume with caution to avoid brain freeze. It hurts.
A melon granita is so easy to make, a 5 year old could do it. A popsicle with a fancy name loved equally by children and adults. You couldn’t ask for a better (or cheaper) way to teleport yourself to Italy.
Read more about my adventures in Italy or the Amalfi Coast.
