Pomegranate and Campari Granita
Serves 4 people
The birthplace of granita is Sicily, you will find it on the menu at most cafes. This ‘slushy-like’ sorbet is enjoyed throughout the day, but generally eaten for breakfast with a fresh, soft brioche.
I have been making this recipe of mine for years! The sweetness of the fresh pomegranate juice combined with the boozy, bitterness of Campari is the perfect summer refresher!
You could spoon it on top of yogurt with honey or I usually serve it as a pallet cleanser between courses. Sometimes I even add it to a coupe glass along with a splash of Prosecco for a summer evening aperitif!
Ingredients
4 pomegranates
1/2 a cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of Campari
1/2 a lemon
Method
Step 1: Make pomegranate juice
Begin by cutting each pomegranate in half, then place a large bowl into your sink, so that the mess is minimal! Holding one half of a pomegranate with the cut side against the palm of your hand start bashing the skin side with the back of a wooden spoon, the pomegranate seeds should fall through your fingers into the bowl below. Then remove any white pith from your seeds and place the seeds into a blender. Blend until all the seeds are crushed and the juices flow. Sieve out and discard any seeds left and set the juice to one side.
*If you don’t have a blender you can buy fresh pomegranate juice (not from concentrated) you will need 500ml.
Step 2: Make simple syrup
Into a small pan combine 1/2 a cup of white sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Then place on a high heat until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid has reduced and become slightly thicker. Place to one side.
Step 3: Flavour your granita
To your pomegranate juice add 1/2 a cup of Campari, then add your sugar syrup, a little at a time, until you reach your desired sweetness. Finish with a small squeeze of a lemon to add back some that acidity from the pomegranates. Place in a Tupperware into the freezer and every 3 hours, using a fork scrape the frozen juice so that it gains the distinctive ‘granita’ constancy.
It will keep for 6 months in the freezer, if it lasts that long!