Gelo di Melone (Sicilian Watermelon Pudding)

We’ve been on vacation this summer, a month away in Europe, visiting Scotland and many countries in the Mediterranean. Because we were on a cruise for the second half, some of the stops were very brief. In particular, our visit to Sicily was barely 8 hours long. Of course, we gorged on as much food as we could: pastries, gelato, granita, and arancini.

Back in Canada, as guests at a Shabbat dinner, I brought this dessert after seeing the recipe online. I had never heard of a pudding made with the juice of a melon, but it sounded like something I needed to try.

Seeding the melon, pureeing it, and straining the juice were tasks that my daughter helped with. I heated it with the lemon juice and cornstarch and it gelled nicely. After chilling for 4+ hours, we garnished it as directed with pistachios and mint (not sure where to get the suggested jasmine blossoms!).

At dessert, everyone was very intrigued and took hesitant spoonfuls. The pudding didn’t provide the refreshing feeling that a bite of juicy, fresh watermelon provides. But the flavour was good, and the contrasts from the garnishes made each mouthful interesting. Even though a few people took seconds, the leftovers we took home went untouched. All in all, an interesting dessert, but not one that I’d repeat.