Gelo di mellone: ​​the recipe for typical Sicilian watermelon jellies

Il mellone frostalso known as watermelon frost, is a dessert simple but very tasty, typical of Sicilian pastry. Served as tradition dictates during the mid-August lunch, it is an original way to bring the summer fruit par excellence to the table. To prepare it, just take the pulp of thewatermelon, remove the seeds, collect it in the glass of a mixer and blend it thoroughly. The juice obtained will then be filtered and heated on the fire with the sugar and starch, until a thick and shiny mixture is obtained which will then be poured into special molds and left to cool in the fridge. In this way you will get some treats gelatine to garnish with chocolate chips and chopped pistachios, and eat very cold as snack about dolce at the end of the meal.

Although the name may be misleading, this preparation therefore has nothing to do with melon: the misunderstanding arises from the fact that in the local dialect the mullini o mellun is the way in which watermelon is indicated.

To make the frost you will need approx 1 liter of juice. If you have some watermelon left over you can enjoy it plain or remove the seeds, cut it into cubes and put it in the freezer: in this way you will always have a supply ready to be blended and transformed into delicious sweets. In our version, for an elegant and refined result, we opted for heart-shaped molds, but you can also use simple single-portion cups or prepare it in one single mold to bring to the table and serve in slices.

If you prefer you can try your hand at the Palermo version, which cannot be missed on the occasion of the celebrations of the patron saint of the city, Santa Rosalia, with the addition of jasmine flowers: in this case you will have to infuse the flowers in 20 ml of water for 24 hours, add the filtered liquid to the watermelon juice and then proceed as indicated. If you like, you can flavor everything with a pinch of cinnamon or vanilla extract, or use the ice as a filling for fragrant tarts.

Find out how to prepare the mellone frost by following the step by step procedure and advice. If you liked this recipe, try your hand at watermelon ice cream or other delicacies that see it as the protagonist.

How to prepare the mellone ice

Cut the pulp of the watermelon with the help of a knife 1.

Carefully remove the seeds 2 and transfer the pulp into a mixing bowl.

Blend the pulp with an immersion blender 3.

Filter the watermelon juice with a fine mesh strainer 4and collect it in a bowl.

Pour the starch and sugar into a saucepan and mix well with a whisk 5.

Pour in the watermelon juice 6 and mix continuously.

Put on the heat and let it cook gently, always stirring 7until the mixture is dense and shiny.

Transfer the mixture obtained into 6 single-portion molds 8previously moistened, and let it cool in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

After the resting time, gently unmold the dessert into the dessert plates, garnish with chocolate chips and chopped pistachios 9and serve.

storage

The mellone ice is kept in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 2 days massimo.