Grattachecca (Roman Style Shaved Ice)

Well, the dog days of summer have well and truly arrived. And on both sides of the Atlantic, it seems. Even if we’re lucky enough to have AC, high temps nevertheless have me thinking about ways to beat the heat.

Here’s one that helps the denizens of the Eternal City endure the hot Roman summer: grattachecca, the quintessentially Roman shaved ice. While grattachecca as we know it today goes back to the early 20th century, Romans have enjoyed flavored ice going back all the way to ancient times. Today’s grattachecca is a street food, typically served in a tall plastic cup, with a long spoon to scoop it up and a straw to lap up the final bits as the ice inevitably melts before you have a chance to finish it.

Sadly, grattachecca isn’t quite as common as it once was, but you’ll still find stands around town, with many of the better known ones clustered near or along the Lungotevere, the boulevard that runs through the center of town along the banks of the river Tiber.

Making grattachecca at home

Of course, unless you happen to be visiting Rome or actually living there, you’ll have to make your grattachecca at home. The good news is that it couldn’t be simpler. You just shave or crush some ice, drizzle it with fruit syrups or juice, then, if you like, garnish it, typically with fresh fruit, coconut or a sprig of mint depending on your other flavors.

There are countless flavor combinations to choose from, but a few classics include orzata, an almond syrup, lemonocco, a mix of coconut syrup and fresh lemon or orange juice, amarena (wild cherry), watermelon and mint. Garnishes should match or complement the flavoring. The sky’s the limit.

Ingredients

For each serving

• 150-200 g (5-7 oz) ice, flavored with one of the following flavorings:

orzata:

• orzata (almond syrup)

lemoncocco:

• coconut syrup
• freshly squeezed juice of a half lemon
• pieces or strips of fresh coconut, as garnish

cherry:

• amarena syrup
• mixed berries, as garnish

mint:

• mint syrup
• fresh mint leaves, as garnish

watermelon:

• fresh watermelon, trimmed of its rind and juiced
• fresh watermelon, cut into dice or strips, as garnish

Directions

Shave or crush the ice.

NB: If you have a purpose made ice shaver, just follow the operating instructions provided to shave the ice. If you don’t own an ice shaver, let ice cubes temper at room temperature for a few minutes, then add them to a food processor or blender. Pulse or blend until finely, but not too finely, crushed.

Spoon the shaved ice in a tall glass or, if you prefer, a dessert bowl.

Drizzle over the syrup and/or fruit juice, to taste.

Top with the garnish, if you like.

Serve right away.

Notes on grattachecca

I’ve purposely not given precise measurements for the flavorings and garnishes, as it’s really a matter of taste. But if you need a guide to get your started, I’d go for say 50ml (2 oz) for each serving. Wait a moment and try a bit to see if it’s enough to flavor all the ice to your taste, or you need to top it up. If you want to make sure your ice is evenly covered, you can alternative shave iced and syrup until you fill up the glass.

Otherwise, there’s hardly much to trip you up here. Just be ready to serve and eat your grattachecca as soon as you make it, as shaved ice tends to melt quickly when the weather’s hot. Of course, that’s just part of the fun. You eat the first bits of your grattachecca with a spoon, then slurp the rest with a straw.

Ice shavers

While you can use a food processor or blender to crush the ice, if you want to reproduce the precise mouth feel of shaved ice, a special purpose ice shaver is the way to go. They can be electric or hand cranked, and neither is terribly expensive. Personally, I have an attachment for my standing mixer that works like a charm.

Sourcing fruit syrups and juices

You can find fruit syrups in some stores or online. Here in North America, they are marketed for use in cocktails so they aren’t terribly hard to find. For true Italian flavor, look for Fabbri brand. The US based Torani also produces a vast array of syrups of excellent quality.

As for juices, freshly squeezed juices are best, in particular for citrus fruits. Other fruits like watermelon can be juiced using a juicer. Of use a powerful blender then strain to remove the pulp.

Other flavors

The flavors provided above are just some of the most popular. Others include cedro (citron), peach, cantaloupe, berries, tamarind and strawberry. Some folks like to add vodka and other liquors, turning your grattachecca into an adult beverage. The sky is really the limit. Ditto for the fruit garnishes.

Grattachecca and granita

Grattachecca is sometimes confused with granita, another favorite frozen dessert. Granita starts with an already flavored liquid, typically espresso coffee or lemon juice, which is slowly frozen and stirred into crystals. As we’ve seen, grattachecca starts with solid, plain ice that’s then made edible via shaving and flavoring. Basically the opposite processes, but both are delicious in their own, very different ways.

The meaning and origins of grattachecca

The term grattachecca comes from grattare, meaning to grate or shave. The origins of checca are disputted. Some day it was the old romanesco word for a large block of ice. Others say it’s the old romanesco nickname for Francesca. In the old days and sometimes still, the grattacheccaro (grattachecca maker) would literally shave the ice off those large blocks by hand with a long blade, though this traditional method is slowly giving way to mechanical shavers.

Grattachecca as we know it today originated in the early 20th century when the first stands started popping up in Rome’s working class neighborhoods. Back in the day large blocks of ice would be brought into town in ox drawn carts covered in straw from the surrounding mountains, in particular Monte Lucretii near Tivoli. It was sometimes called the poor man’s gelato as it was much cheaper. But it roots go back to Ancient Rome, when, as described by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia, patricians would enjoy nivatae potiones, a frozen dessert of snow flavored with honey and fresh fruit.

Finding grattachecca in Rome

If you are ever in Rome during the summer, you really shouldn’t miss having a grattachecca at least once. It makes a nice change from gelato or granita.

As mentioned at the top, many of the best known grattachecca stands in town are clustered along the Lungotevere. Among them are my old stand bys when I lived near the Ghetto in the center of town: Sora Mirella and Alla Fonte d’Oro in Trastevere just across the river. If you want to beat the crowds, you can head over to via Giovanni Branca in Testaccio, another stand that I discovered as it’s just across the street from my favorite place to stay when I’m in Rome now.

Making grattachecca ahead

In a word, you can’t. Obviously! That said, you can prep your garnishes and squeeze your juices ahead. And in a pinch, you can slow down the melting dramatically by placing your grattachecca in the fridge.