A Palermo dessert
When the time comes to prepare the gelu two images accompany me. The first is linked to that large pot full of pink liquid that begins to change, becoming more and more intense and making its mouth, that is, boiling. At this point my mother, with the wooden spoon, takes a little frost and pours it into a thick coffee cup, a thermal shock useful to make sure that the density is the right one. Then he takes it off the heat . The same gesture for forty years. Awaited all year. Perfect.
The second image is that of a watermelon with the cap open, emptied and with the edge carved into points like a crown, filled with highly scented frost of a unique pink, with the surface covered with chocolate flakes, pistachios and jasmine flowers . The scene I have in mind has not been repeated over the years, probably too tiring to create. When I remember it, it recalls the magnificence of certain sumptuous lunches, such as the Renaissance ones described in ancient documents, or those immortalized by paintings or pages of literature. How much I admired, that day, the watermelon filled with frost (or, as we say, the mellone filled with gelu ), how proud I was of it! I will never forget the scent of that precious cup. The author was my mother. A master of desserts, a worthy heir to her grandmother.
She prepares the gelu either pure (as our cousin says, who is a great fan of it) or with a spoon, or in a crust... and what a crust! A delicious pastry, enhanced by the brushing of dark chocolate.
'U gelu ri muluni: the dessert of the Santa Rosalia Feast
For us it was especially typical of the month of August which coincides with my brother's birthday. At frost time start eating like there's no tomorrow!
Any Palermo woman who is averagely good at cooking will tell you that her frost is a masterpiece. And that's probably true. Each one has its own variations, which have been handed down for generations, giving even more value to our tradition . In my family no one dares to try preparing it: like Meri does! I, who have watched him cook it all his life, had the privilege of his approval and I prepare it every summer for my greedy friends.
And, of course, we follow the recipe scrupulously.
Ingredients
- 1 liter of watermelon juice
- 130 g of granulated sugar (the quantity varies based on the sweetness of the watermelon)
- 80 g of sifted wheat starch
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ vanilla pod
- A handful of freshly picked (untreated) jasmine flowers
- Chopped local pistachios
- Dark chocolate flakes
Method
To obtain watermelon juice you must remove the seeds and use a food mill with the pulp. It's a bit of a boring job, sometimes tiring, but it will be worth it. The watermelon ( mellone ) must be sweet and tasty. But it is clear that if unfortunately this were not the case, nothing should be wasted: get the juice even from a cucuzza ! In this case, you need to sugar it and flavor it more. In any case, I hope it doesn't happen to you, because it is obvious that the result would not be the same.
Once this operation has been done , soak a few jasmine flowers and cinnamon in the juice and place in the fridge for at least an hour (if you like even more, don't be afraid to overdo it). Subsequently, filter into a saucepan and add the seeds extracted from the vanilla pod, leave to soak for half an hour .
At this point, dissolve the starch . Take a couple of ladles of juice and pour them slowly onto the starch, stirring with a fork until you create a very smooth batter , totally free of lumps. Remember that each starch has its own characteristics, so if you opt for corn or rice starch the appearance and consistency will be different. Add the batter and sugar to the juice, start mixing with a wooden spoon and transfer to the stove over low heat . Never stop mixing. At first you will see that the liquid will be "strawberry blossom" pink.
Little by little the pink will transform until it becomes fuchsia, ruby... an intense and unique color! And the joy of the eyes will go hand in hand with that of the sense of smell for the scents released by this masterpiece. Naturally the consistency will change, it will thicken more and more. Let it boil for a few minutes. To understand whether it is ready or not, you can pick it up with a spoon: if it remains veiled and the frost runs down, then you can serve your delicacy. Another trick, however, is the one my mother performed with the coffee cup, as described above.
Now it's ready. Wait a few minutes, and pour it into the cups or molds that you have previously prepared , moistened with water . Wait for it to cool down a little and keep everything in the fridge, after letting the remaining flower stems sink slightly into the frost, this will give it even more aroma.
You will have to wait half a day before enjoying this poem. Decorate by sprinkling with chocolate and pistachios , just before serving.
If you have chosen pudding shapes, I recommend turning them out after a day of rest. Another version also includes pumpkin , to be added when the frost is still warm.
In general, assuming it is kept, the frost can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days thanks to the concentration of sugars.
Enjoy your meal in the name of ancient tradition and family warmth.
