In Sicily, in the summer, time stands still for a perfect pair: granita and brioche . But reducing this union to a simple breakfast is like calling Baroque just "decoration." In reality, granitaebrioche —yes, all together—is much more: it's a daily ritual, a declaration of love for tradition and flavor, a true intangible heritage of the island.
As Alessandra Dammone explains in her book Sweet Sicily , " granitaebrioche is a concept greater than the sum of its parts." It's an indivisible monad , a hymn to respect for breaks, for people, for good, genuine food.
The recipe for Mulberry Granita
Directly from the pages of Sweet Sicily, here's how to make the perfect homemade mulberry granita :
Ingredients:
375 g mulberries
300 g sugar
750 ml water
75 ml lemon juice
Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the mulberries and lemon juice, and blend roughly with an immersion blender. Pour the mixture into a large container, preferably a baking dish, so that the resulting granita layer isn't too thick, and store in the freezer.
While freezing, every hour or so, stir the granita with the prongs of a fork to prevent ice blocks from forming.
Granita is a cornerstone of Sicilian pastry making, and comes in dozens of flavors, including lemon, strawberry, coffee, almond (raw or toasted), pistachio, chocolate, and mint.
