Italy in the summer time is hot, hot, hot. Almost as hot as July and August in Minneapolis has been this year. With our AC on the fritz, I am learning to cope. But barely. However, a couple years ago when my best girlfriend, Angie, and I visited Italy, we learned that Italians cope with the heat in a most delicious way.
In Rome, at Caffe Tazza d’Oro,** it’s printed on the glass door as you enter: “Granita Caffe con panna.” After the second visit, we had the routine down: go to the register, pay and get your receipt for the granita, take the receipt over to the guy behind the counter, present receipt, wait, receive your coffee granita, go outside, indulge (and cool off) while people-watching in front of the Pantheon (it’s right around the corner from the cafe). Repeat as necessary.
Granita, an exquisite powdery ice, is usually flavored with espresso or fresh fruit and often topped (or layered as at Caffe Tazza d’Oro) “con panna,” (with whipped cream).
But you don’t have to go to Italy to enjoy this icy sweet treat—it’s easy enough to make at home (and just a bit more economical—although perhaps not quite as exciting). Plus it makes a great and cooling and light (depending on how much whipped cream you’re into) finale to a spicy bbq, late night porch supper, or as a poolside refreshment (even if your pool happens to be the inflatable kind).
**Via degli Orfani, 84 (Pantheon) - 00186 Roma
Tel. +39.06.67.89.792 +39.06.67.92.768
Coffee Granita
1 cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
3 cups brewed espresso coffee (or 3 cups regular coffee that has been brewed double strength)
In a 1 ½ to 2 quart saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil over moderate heat, stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Continue boiling for four minutes without stirring. Remove pan from heat and let syrup cool to room temperature.
Stir in the coffee and pour mixture into a 12 x 9 inch pan.
Freeze the granita, stirring and scraping the icy crystals in to the center of the mixture with a fork approximately every 30 minutes or so until completely frozen, about three to four hours. The finished granita will have a fine and snowy texture.
Serve with a dollop of Kahlua-flavored whipped cream.
Kahlua Flavored Whipped Cream
½ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons Kahlua
Whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in liqueur (try Bailey’s as well)
Strawberry Granita
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
2 lbs. fresh strawberries, pureed (you can use less, but I find this amount gives a rich strawberry essence)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
In a 1 ½ to 2 quart saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil over moderate heat, stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Continue boiling for four minutes without stirring. Remove pan from heat and let syrup cool to room temperature.
Clean and de-hull the strawberries. Put half of them in the blender and pour in half of the cooled syrup plus the lemon juice. Blend. Do the same with other half.
Pour mixture into 13 x 9 inch pan.
Freeze the granita, stirring and scraping the ice crystals into the center of the mixture with a fork approximately every 30 minutes until completely frozen, about three or four hours. The finished granita will have a fine and snowy texture that is a bit more slushy than the coffee granita.
To serve: In a chilled stemmed glass (try a martini glass), layer some of the granita, then whipped cream, granita, ending with whipped cream. Top with a fresh whole strawberry. You can use plain whipped cream, sweetened with 1 tsp. granulated sugar or try the following liqueur-flavored option.
Kirsch-Flavored Whipped Cream
The following yields enough for approximately four servings, depending on the size of stemmed glasses used.
½ cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons kirsch
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in liqueur and sugar, whip until stiff.
(this story with recipes was originally published two years ago in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by yours truly)
