Welcome ivillage.com readers! I’m an American living in Italy and I love to cook, eat and travel! You’ll find recipes (like My Sweet, Fried Balls of Ricotta), posts about discovering Italy (like An Army of Orecchiette on a Sunny Day in Puglia), exploring new food (like How to Order an Italian Coffee in Italy), and some of my travels abroad (like Street Food in India)! I hope you enjoy your stay on my site!
The brioche, while a classic french bread, also has its place in Italian cuisine. And very popular in Sicily. I’ve mentioned My Favorite Sandwich in Italy: Gelato in a Brioche, but there’s another popular use of the brioche in Sicily: a Brioche with Sicilian Granita.
And for breakfast!
Now while it can be eaten any time of day, it gives you particular satisfaction in the morning: a warm, crusty brioche just waiting to be dunked!
This particular Sicilian granita is a very fine grain ice granita, and almost a sorbet. Don’t you dare mention granita and slushies (ala 7-11) in the same breath! The best Sicilian granita is made with all-natural flavors and lots of fresh ingredients like fruit and nuts.
Nicole from Pinch My Salt, who used to have first-hand experience with Sicilian granita every day, did a great post about eating Sicilian granita for breakfast. Her favorite flavors are lemon, pistachio and almond, but I have to say that the strawberry one was perhaps the most refreshing flavor I could think of on a hot, August morning.
Now, while you’d be tempted to go pazzo and get “doppio panna” (double whipped cream, above and below your granita) with your Sicilian granita, our veteran waitress gave us good advice I recommend you follow: whipped cream just on top.
This way, you can enjoy the pure taste the granita with a little whipped cream when you want, without it getting all muddy below.
Just in case you’re not sure exactly how to eat the brioche with the granita, please, allow me to go through the pains of demonstrating. Of course, every person has the right to eat the brioche as they please, but you should know that you shouldn’t shy away from dunking it right in there.
That’s right, dunk it!
I usually start with the “button” of the brioche:
And in it goes!
Have you had granita siciliana before? What’s your favorite flavor?
Here are some more articles about granita:
- Watermelon Sorbetto Granita from The Perfect Scoop
- Espresso Granita Affogato Recipe – David Lebovitz
- Granita by Any Name Would Taste as Sweet : NPR
- Granita and more from David Lebovitz (via L.A. Times)
- Lemon Granita Recipe | Cookthink
I LOVE granita, and was very lucky as I lived in Taormina last summer and got to sample some of the best granita in Sicily. Coffee is my favourite, but I did often swing towards the almond flavour which they claim was particular to the region. Always with cream (just on top) too! YUM
I might actually eat breakfast if I could have this! It looks wonderful. What will those crazy Italians think of next? ;)
I’ve got one word — YUMMMMMMM! :-)
Ciao :)
I have just come back to Florence from Sicily where I fell in love with granite.
I used to have breakfast with brioches with granita too!!!
it’s wonderful!
my favourite taste was “pistacchio”
hmm i just started fasting today, and now i see this … ahh you’re killing me sara !
Here I am wondering what ‘m going to have for breakfast and I see this! Now I’m screwed…so much for a bowl of cereal. That looks soooo good!!!!!!
I love brioche, but never had it that way…nor have I had granite….something new to try when I can …:-)
that granita looks SO smooth and refreshing. I don’t know if I can find that around here for breakfast though.
Mulberry and lemon together- senza panna! delish…
I never had granita for breakfast, but while I was in Sicily I ate it later in the day all the time. My favorite two flavors were lemon (during the blazing-hot Sicilian summer afternoon) and peach (during a late evening walk). Goloso that I am, I always asked for panna, but they never wanted to serve it to me with lemon. “It’ll give you digestive problems!” they always claimed. Sometimes they would claim they didn’t have panna, just so they didn’t have to see my stomach explode.
When I was in Sicily I ate gelato and a cornetto for breakfast and thought, I could do this everyday. Thanks for the memories.
I’ve tried to sell granita[espresso]with brioche and whipped caramel cream at the restaurant that I work in in New York City,with total failure….but it was my favorite 10am treat….oh well.
oh my god I want to dive into that granita!! and with brioche my favorite snack! Just as I’m weaning myself off the gelato, you’ve opened up a whole new world of weight gain! Ciao
This beats bacon and eggs for breakfast any day!
YUMMMMM!!
I ate brioche and zuppa inglese everyday for breakfast! 3 months worth that was 1983. Icouldn’t do that now! :)
I just came back from Italy and miss those brioche’s with granita. When I told my friend’s about it they looked at me like I was crazy. My favorite was limone! The best brioche I had was in Taormina and the second best was in Palermo.
I’ve had granita, but never siciliana granita. Obviously I am missing something extraordinary!!
I’ve had this before. I’d certainly love to try it for breakfast. Yum!
I also never got to thank you for your ‘Get Well’ wishes (via Kalyn) from the BlogHer 2008 conference. I appreciate it very much. It made my day and I DO feel much better now. Thank you!
Paz
I LOVE granita and brioche for breakfast! I’m making an attempt to serve it for Christmas morning this year for my family here in the U.S.!