I learnt to make risotto at the age of 10. My mum and I had a private tutorial from the hand of my dad’s colleague, Ana, an Italian descendent obstetrician and amazing cook. I remember she had a couple of daughters, one of them my age, but I was more interested in learning the secrets of Italian cuisine rather than playing dolls with the other children. My mum wanted me to learn as at the time, I was a swimmer and a gymnast so I had strong arms and the very much needed endurance to sustain the art of clockwise involving movements demanded from good quality risotto, so I could be handed over the task. I still have strong arms but as much as love cooking I don’t think I have the patience of stirring the wooden spoon for 1 hour anymore, so I had to carefully think of alternative dishes that could equally bring a gratifying reward to the dining table.
I discovered maftoul -giant couscous- a few years ago but I felt I haven’t been experimental enough with it even though it has featured in a few posts in the blog. This is another of those little kitchen pilot projects motivated by effort resistance.
There is nothing about this dish that resembles risotto, it’s low calorie, lacking cream and wine, it doesn’t even have Parmesan cheese, perhaps the only common ingredients are the humble salt and pepper and the olive oil of course.. and you may wonder whether you missed the analogy or began questioning my reasoning. The point is that at least to my view, risotto is as comforting as this much healthier maftoul approach so, why not give it a go?
 | |
|
