Skip to main content

Cantaloupe and Black Pepper Granita

Bodega glasses filled with a coralcolored slushy ice with a hunk of melon skin in the background.
Cantaloupe and Black Pepper GranitaGentl & Hyers

A grown-up shaved ice, with a welcome hit of spice from the pepper.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    8 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds cantaloupe, rind and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Muscat de Beaumes de Venise or other sweet dessert wine
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus coarsely ground for serving

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Purée cantaloupe, sugar, Muscat, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and freeze mixture until edges begin to set, about 30 minutes.

    Step 2

    Using a fork, scrape mixture to break up frozen portions. Freeze, scraping and breaking up every 20–30 minutes, until mixture resembles fluffy shaved ice, 2–4 hours. Serve granita topped with coarsely ground pepper.

    Step 3

    Do ahead: Granita can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and keep frozen. Scrape before serving.

Read More
Like spicy carrot rigatoni and weeknight-fancy ravioli with peas.
Like lemony baked salmon and strawberry shortcake roll.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
A warmly spiced Ashkenazi charoset, perfect for your Passover seder—or spooned over yogurt the next morning.
Crispy, Parmesan-crusted cutlets make this spring dish sing.
A feel-good dinner designed to cram a ton of veg in each serving.