Red ptitim (pearl couscous)?
I used to work in an office by a restaurant that served red ptitim - Israeli-style pearl couscous, today are cooked in some sort of tomato sauce and come out red tainted - but not wet: i.e they're not swimming in sauce: they're served just sightly moist like any other ptitim dish.
I tried to reproduce this at home by cooking the ptitim in tomato juice, tomato paste and even ketchup - but to no avail: they either come out in a lot of sauce or properly dry and not red.
What am I missing?
Best Answer
I've never cooked ptitim specifically, but for Mediterranean[1] rice, bulgar, orzo or cous cous, the recipe varies only slightly - so I imaging ptitim to be very similar.
Use a ratio of 1:1.6 grain to water, by volume.
You can add optional onion/peppers etc to this. Soften first, remove & re-add just before the water, or part-soften, leave in, then proceed as follows
Sauté the grains in olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat until they start to change colour [not just clarify because of the oil, actually start to go golden].
Add approx 1tbsp per cup of grain of either tomato purée/paste, harissa paste[2] or any combination of both, then continue to sauté for another 2 minutes. Sautéing tomato paste makes it sweeter & less bitter.
Add your water, straight off the boil from a kettle.
Salt to taste.
Give it a quick stir, drop the heat to minimum & put the lid on.
Allow 13-15 minutes for the water to be absorbed. Don't take the lid off to check. At most, lift it a tiny bit & see if you can hear the crackle as the last bit is used.
Switch off the heat.
Put a tea-towel or paper towel over the pan top & put the lid back on over it, trapping the towel.
Allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
Fluff with a fork & serve.
Brighten the flavour & presentation with some fresh flat-leaf parsley.
Sprinkle Aleppo pepper flakes for an extra burst of colour, heat & flavour.
[1]Generally, anywhere from Greece right round to Morocco uses a variation on this method.
[2] Both will add a similar colour, but tomato adds sweetness & harissa adds spicy heat.
Pictures about "Red ptitim (pearl couscous)?"
What are ptitim made of?
The company took up the challenge and developed ptitim, which is made of hard wheat flour and toasted in an oven. Ptitim was initially produced with a rice-shape, but after its success Osem also began to produce a ball-shaped variety inspired by couscous. Consequently, ptitim is sometimes called "Ben-Gurion rice".What is couscous Pearl?
Couscous Pearls, also known as Israeli Couscous, are small balls of toasted semolina flour. In Israel they are called Ptitim. During 1949 - 1959, Israel went through an austerity period during which food and other resources were rationed.What is pearl couscous used for?
Here's an easy side dish that's as tasty as it is versatile: Israeli couscous, aka pearl couscous! These tiny balls of pasta have a delightfully chewy texture and take just 10 minutes to cook. Toss them with olive oil and lemon, and they're a quick side for just about anything: or ideal for fast grain bowls or salads.What is special about Israeli couscous?
Made from wheat flour and semolina, Israeli couscous has a ball-like shape and is toasted, rather than dried, after the granules are formed. This process gives Israeli couscous a nuttier flavor and chewy bite that adds an unexpected touch to regional recipes.Couscous With Tomatoes || Pearl Couscous with Cherry Tomatoes - RKC
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Answer 2
Maybe it was chili oil and not tomato-based? That was always my impression at Sosta in Raleigh, but just a guess!
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