Gelato Limone (Lemon Sorbet)

Limone Gelato is so refreshing on a hot day : )

 Gelato Limone is basically a lemon sorbet or Italian Ice as we Americans like to call it : ) I remember staying the Summer with my cousins in Jersey City, NJ, and every afternoon this little old Italian man  with a push cart full of Italian Ice came by every afternoon and even though we were teenagers the Italian Ice Man, as he came to be called, would always bring the kid out in us. We would grab some change and run down the three flights of stairs and out to the street like little children and even though Lemon and chocolate were my absolute favorites I would force my self to choose a different flavor each day trying to not miss a flavor and get my fill because as the Summer came to an end I knew my Italian Ice eating would come to end as I would be returning home to South Carolina : (

This recipe is based on my Dad's Lemon Granita a treat he used to make us in the Summer time when my Mom was gone for the day and he was babysitting us. I tweaked it for a gelato by using more sugar and cooking the water and sugar into a simple syrup and then I used an ice cream machine to freeze & harden, thanks Daddy : )
Ingredients
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (This took about 9 pretty small lemons for me)
Zest of 1-2 of the lemons (1 large or 2 small)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 pints water
Ice Cream Machine: see instructions some use rock salt and some do not.
Directions
Start your simple syrup about an hour ahead by mixing the sugar and water and bringing to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved. Cool before freezing.

Scrub your lemons you are zesting and then zest and add to simple syrup.
Juice your lemons and add to simple syrup.
Follow your ice cream machine instructions.
Mine has to be frozen in the freezer some more before it can eaten but some really awesome machines like my friend Corri has are ready right away....a future appliance purchase for me perhaps?