Gelo di Melone

This is another item from the September Saveur and is based on a recipe by Nick Malgieri. I was intrigued by the thought of a thick, pudding-like dessert made with just pureed fruit, sugar, and cornstarch. And, I wanted to have one more watermelon before summer is gone. However, I approached this as an experiment. I wasn’t sure I would like it. I don’t think I’ve ever not enjoyed a Sicilian dish, but watermelon pudding could have gone either way for me. I like big chunks of watermelon, and I like that they’re juicy and light and crunchy. I also like pureed watermelon with a little lime juice and vodka. But, the thought of taking watermelon and turning it into a thick, smooth substance made me curious.

I used a small, very sweet, seedless watermelon; so I reduced the suggested amount of sugar by almost half. The watermelon, sugar, and cornstarch combination was passed through a sieve once thickened, so the little, white seeds were removed, and the resulting texture was completely smooth.

This was very much like pudding, but it was also very light with the watermelon flavor at the forefront. The gilding of pistachios, grated chocolate, and whipped cream provided textural contrast and a little decadence. And, the bright, pink color was delightful. I guess it is ok for watermelon to be something other than juicy, crunchy chunks or a vehicle for vodka. Now, I’m thinking of other fruit purees to turn into puddings, and mango could be up next.