Watermelon Pudding Palermo Style (Gelo di Mellone)

La storia di questo piatto

Born under the blazing sun of Palermo's August streets, this trembling jewel of watermelon is Sicily itself made edible — a dessert carried through generations in copper bowls, offered at feast days when jasmine hung so thick in the air it felt like a second sky.

Ingredienti

• 800 g Red watermelon flesh
• 40 g Cornstarch
• 60 g Caster sugar
• 100 ml Jasmine water
• 40 g Bronte pistachio, shelled
• 30 g Dark chocolate 70%
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt

Preparazione

1. Cut the watermelon into chunks and blitz the flesh until smooth. Pass the juice through fine cheesecloth to remove pulp and obtain a clear, homogeneous liquid.
2. In a saucepan, whisk the cornstarch with 50 ml of cold water, stirring well to prevent lumps. Pour the watermelon juice into the pan along with the caster sugar, jasmine water and a pinch of sea salt.
3. Heat over a medium flame, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once it reaches a boil, continue stirring for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens noticeably and reaches a dense custard-like consistency.
4. Pour the warm pudding into ceramic bowls or glasses and allow to cool completely to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
5. When ready to serve, garnish each portion with coarsely chopped pistachio and thin shards of dark chocolate grated over the top.