Prosciutto Melon Granita — cooking, easy recipes for a sweet & savory frozen treat

Chef John from Food Wishes takes a familiar appetizer—prosciutto-wrapped melon—and turns it into a playful frozen dessert that tastes exactly like the original. This prosciutto melon granita is a brilliant example of cooking, easy recipes that deliver big flavor with no special equipment. The technique is simple, fun, and perfect for warm evenings when something cold and refreshing is in order.

Step 1: Gather ingredients

• 2 lb ripe melon (honeydew recommended)
• 8 oz reserved melon (about 1 cup) for initial infusion
• 6–8 slices prosciutto, divided
• 1/4 cup + splash cold water
• Pinch of salt
• 1–2 tbsp white sugar (start small)
• Gel-style green food coloring (optional)

Chef John suggests using any sweet, ripe melon, but honeydew gives a classic pairing with prosciutto. The recipe is intentionally forgiving—another reason it belongs in the cooking, easy recipes category.

Step 2: Render prosciutto and prepare the flavor base

1. Heat a dry skillet over medium and add the sliced prosciutto. Break the slices apart to form an even layer and cook until the fat starts to render and pieces are lightly browned. Avoid over-browning.
2. Remove two-thirds of the prosciutto and reserve it (this goes into the blender). Leave one-third in the pan and cook another minute—this portion will later become candied crisp topping.
3. Do not wipe the fat from the pan. Let it cool and save it for candied prosciutto.

Step 3: Infuse melon with prosciutto flavor

1. Place 8 oz of melon and the reserved two-thirds prosciutto into a blender with a splash of cold water. Puree until smooth. (Chef John humorously calls this one of the worst-looking smoothies—hang tight.)
2. Pour the puree into the skillet with the rendered prosciutto fat, rinse the blender with 1/4 cup water and add that too.
3. Add a pinch of salt and a small amount of sugar. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat and cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This step extracts prosciutto flavor into the melon liquid.
4. Strain the mixture through a sieve, discard solids, and cool to room temperature.

Step 4: Finish the granita and freeze with forking

1. Puree the remaining melon and stir it into the cooled infused liquid.
2. Adjust color if desired—Chef John recommends a gel green to compensate for lightening during freezing (add enough so the mix is about twice as dark as the desired final color).
3. Pour into a shallow dish and freeze. After 1 hour, use a fork to scrape and break up slushy edges toward the center. Repeat every 30–45 minutes, 3–4 times total, until you achieve a grainy, snow-like texture.
4. For best texture, fork periodically while freezing; alternatively freeze solid and scrape once at the end.

Step 5: Candy the reserved prosciutto and serve

1. Chop the reserved one-third of prosciutto. Warm it in the pan that still has the rendered fat over medium heat, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon sugar, and stir until the sugar melts and pieces become shiny and crisp.
2. Transfer to a plate to cool—when set they will be crunchy and snappy.
3. Scoop the granita into bowls, top with candied prosciutto, and serve immediately.

"This tastes exactly, and I mean exactly, like a really cold prosciutto wrapped piece of melon," says Chef John—only this time with the texture of a snow cone.

Expert tips

• Use ripe melon: sweetness matters—choose one that smells fragrant at the stem.
• Don’t discard rendered fat: it’s essential for candied prosciutto flavor.
• Color wisely: granita lightens when frozen—add more gel color than you think you need.
• Texture control: light, frequent forkings produce fine crystals; a single scrape yields coarser flakes.

Whether presented as a surprising party course or a cooling summer treat, this prosciutto melon granita is a standout among cooking, easy recipes. It’s playful, elegant, and shockingly faithful to the prosciutto-and-melon pairing—only colder and crunchier. Give it a try and enjoy!

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