These past few weeks I’ve found myself making Aguas Frescas (Mexican Fresh Fruit Drinks) a lot more often, a sign that summer has arrived. The possibilities for making Aguas Frescas are endless, especially if you live in a big multicultural city like we do.
Rinse the prickly pears and dry them with a paper towel. With a sharp knife, cut both ends off and discard.
Make a slit along the side and, with your finger, pull the skin and peel. Proceed to peel the rest of the prickly pears.
Place the peeled prickly pears in your blender with 2 cups of the filtered water.
Puree for a few seconds, the fruit pulp is so soft that it doesn’t need a long time to puree. The seeds will remain intact.
Pour the mixture into a pitcher using a strainer. Discard the seeds. Add sugar, ice cubes, and the rest of the filtered water to the pitcher and mix. Add more sugar if needed, according to your taste.
Notes
• Adjust the sugar to your taste.• First of all, handle the prickly pears with care, since the tiny thorns sometimes are not easy to see. If you’re not familiar working with them, use gloves as a precaution.