Wash your lemons well. Use a sharp pairing knife to cut a few strips of lemon rind. Be sure to cut only the yellow part and avoid the white pith which is bitter. Juice the lemons (and strain to remove seeds and lemon pulp) to obtain ½ cup of juice.
In a medium sized sauce pan, whisk together the water; lemon juice; sugar; cornstarch; and lemon rind strips.
Place the sauce pan on the stove top and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.
When the mixture thickens (this will take about 4-5 minutes) remove from the heat and spoon out the lemon rind.
Pour the mixture into individual serving glasses, a large serving dish or molds. Bring to room temperature then refrigerate until set, a minimum of 4 hours.
Serve chilled as is or garnished with mint, basil or chopped pistachios.
Notes
Can Sicilian gelo be made with other ingredients?Sicilian gelo is traditionally made with watermelon but several variations exist such as strawberry gelo or coffee gelo.How long does gelo di limone keep?Keep leftovers well wrapped and refrigerated for up to 5 days.