Grattachecca is the name of a popular cold dessert originary of Rome, Italy, commonly sold in kiosks and bars. It consists of manually scratched ice flavored with fruit juice and, optionally, pieces of fruit.
It is related to Sicilian Granita, but it has a coarser and less homogeneous appearance.
On popular accounts, the origins of Grattachecca date back to ancient Roman dictator Quintus Fabius Maximus who would import in Rome the snow of mount Terminillo, in the Apennines, to be flavored with sweet syrups and distributed by thermopolia (booths selling hot and cold beverages).