The Palermo Pear Granita

Next time you're in Rome I highly suggest you rent a classic red convertible Alfa Romeo and take a little trip. From Rome, head 7 hours south down the western coast of Italy, take the ferry from Messina to Villa San Giovonni, head west on the E-90 for about 45 miles and you're there. Palermo, Italy. Palermo is the beautiful capital of Sicily famous for it's history, culture and of course, it's cuisine. My great grandfather Joseph Rizzo Sr. was born in Palermo and I think this recipe (even though it's not pasta sauce) is one that would make him very proud.

The granita is a semi-frozen Sicilian dessert made from sugar, water, and whatever else you can throw in it. A granita is a relative of the sorbet or Italian ice and it's consistency varies throughout the Southern Italy. In Palermo, the granita is almost chunky unlike it's cousin gelato. With that in mind, I've created the Palermo Pear Granita.

This recipe calls for a can of sliced pears which I don't usually prefer over fresh produce. For this recipe though, the can is easy, quick, and doesn't even require adding any additional sugar or water. Plus, most of us have a can or two stashed in the back of the pantry already.

1 can sliced pears in light juice
2 sprigs of mint
1/2 a fresh lime
1 oz of Kinna Lillet (optional)

Place the pears with their juice along with mint and fresh lime in a food processor. Puree for a few seconds, then pour the mixture in a small pie tin. Top with one ounce of Kinna Lillet if desired (champagne would also be nice too) and freeze for about 20-25 minutes. Once the dish has not fully frozen and has a slush like consistency, take a fork and spoon out the mixture into a serving dish. Garnish with fresh mint and wow your friends.

This recipe is unbelievable. It was a spontaneous MiddleBar creation and I was shocked at how delicious this simple dessert turned out to be. You have to try it. Trust me.

Ciao Ya'll