This dessert is like that girl in high school who was gorgeous and smart and popular: it has it all, in a way that seems too good to be true. The granita is good enough to crave and good enough to eat every night– but low enough in calories that you can do so without waistband consequence. As if that weren’t enough, it is also incredibly easy to make. So feel free to hate little Miss Perfect (whose looks did not age well, by the way, and who is bitter and resentful that life didn’t stay as perfect as it was in good ole high school)– but love this granita with all your heart.
Strawberry, Red Wine and Basil Granita
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine
16 ounces strawberries (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (plus leaves for garnish)
1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stir, and immediately reduce heat to simmer. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in wine and let stand.
2. Remove stems from berries and puree in the food processor until fairly smooth. Combine with sugar-wine mixture and basil and transfer to a shallow baking dish (9 x 7 or 8 x 8). Place in freezer draped loosely with plastic wrap. After a couple of hours and occasionally thereafter, scrape the freezing mixture with the tines of a fork to loosen and crumble. Allow to freeze overnight.
3. Before serving, scrape with a fork one final time until mixture resembles finely shaved ice. Spoon into wine or martini glasses and garnish each serving with a sprig of basil.
Makes 4 servings
Nutritional analysis for each serving: 89 calories, 1 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 0 fat, 2 mg sodium
Sounds like a perfect solution for the upcoming summer heat. Damn those Italians continue to get it right….
…and this time it is uncharacteristically low in calories! So very un-Italian I that respect!
sounds amazing….definitely has to be made this summer!
I’m in! Now, if I can only get to my strawberries before the birds do.
I am counting on a few still being there when we visit in a couple of weeks.