Pistachio Granita: the Original Sicilian Recipe (No Ice Cream Maker)

In Sicily, pistachio granita isn't just a dessert: it's a summer breakfast, often paired with a brioche col tuppo. The original version has no cream and no excess milk — the pistachio does all the work. Here's how to make it at home, even without an ice cream maker.

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 500 ml water
• 120 g sugar
• 100 g Sicilian pistachio cream (ideally with a high pistachio content)
• Chopped pistachios to garnish

Step-by-step method

Warm the water with the sugar until fully dissolved, without boiling, then let it cool. Stir in the pistachio cream and blend well until you have a smooth, lump-free liquid.

Pour the mixture into a wide, shallow container and place it in the freezer. Every 30–40 minutes, break up the ice crystals with a fork, stirring from the edges to the centre. Repeat for about 3 hours: this action, not a machine, gives granita its typical flaky texture.

The secret to creaminess

The difference between granita and a block of ice comes down to two things: the sugar (never cut it too much, it keeps the ice soft) and stirring consistently. Skip a step and it freezes into one solid block. Serve straight away with plenty of chopped pistachio.

How Sicilians eat it

With a brioche col tuppo dipped into the granita: that's the traditional way, especially around Catania, at the foot of Mount Etna where Sicilian pistachio comes from.

Read also: 100%, 60% or 30%: which pistachio cream to choose