Israeli Couscous Mediterranean Style
- 1/4 cup black olives sliced
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup israeli pearl couscous
- 2 tblspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup red or green onion chopped (i omitted)
- 1/2 cup spinach chopped
- 1 can (12 oz) diced tomatoes drained
- 1 tblspoons garlic chopped
- 2 cup broth chicken or vegetable (heated)
- 1/4 cup basil fresh, chopped
- Carbohydrate 3.097475 g
- Cholesterol 8.8 mg
- Fat 17.579995 g
- Fiber 0.589400008916855 g
- Protein 4.65202 g
- Saturated Fat 3.7907715 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (170g)
- Sodium 607.3625 mg
- Sugar 2.50807499108315 g
- Trans Fat 0.606375 g
- Calories 185 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oil in a small pan and gently cook the chopped onion, pepers,spinach and diced tomatoes for 2-3 minutes, or until soft.
- Add the couscous and chopped garlic. Stir Well. Cover with the HOT broth.
- Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When finishied stir in black olives and sprinkle with the basil and Parmesan cheese.
Adding the hot broth to the toasted pasta grains initiates a rapid absorption phase requiring immediate heat regulation to prevent scorching at the bottom of the pan. Pearl couscous, known botanically as ptitim, differs fundamentally from North American semolina-based varieties due to its toasted wheat origins, demanding careful liquid management to achieve an al dente bite rather than a mushy paste. Cooks frequently ruin this dish by dumping cold liquid into the hot pan, which drops the temperature abruptly and encourages uneven hydration across the pearls. To bypass this error, maintain a gentle simmer over medium-low heat for exactly eight to ten minutes while stirring intermittently with a wooden spatula. When judging doneness without a thermometer, look for individual pearls that have doubled in size and offer a slight resistance at the center when pressed between two fingers. Allowing the starch to overcook turns the texture gummy, completely destroying the pleasing chew that defines properly prepared toasted pasta.
