Ptitim (Israeli Couscous) – Kids’ Food Goes Fancy

Let’s get to work:

First, toast the pine nuts.

For small amount I like using a small pan on low to medium heat. Arrange all pine nuts in one layer and move the pan every so often to make sure the pine nuts are tossed and get evenly toasted.

Remember, pine nuts are delicate and they get toasted pretty quickly. As soon as you start smelling them, you will see the color changing a little and you should turn the heat off. It happens in a matter of a few minutes…

Onion, garlic – you know what to do.

Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic; this is what I do with onion and garlic maybe 90% of the times I have them on my cutting board.

Warm the olive oil in a pan on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Sauté the onions for 3 minutes or so… until the onions get a little color on them.

Cube the butternut squash and the green zucchini to small cubes a little less than half an inch in size. Once cubed, you should have about half a cup of each.

Add the toasted pine nuts to the pan, mix together with the onions and oil.

Quickly add the butternut squash and zucchini cubes. Mix again and let it build flavor and cook for 2-3 minutes still on medium heat.

Add minced garlic.

Add black pepper and turmeric and mix everything together.

Now it is time to add the Ptitim. Make sure to mix them in and coat them with this happiness that is happening in the pot.

Carefully add boiling water and salt – Watch it, the pot is hot! Let it cook for just one minute and then cover the pot and cook on the lowest heat for just 10 minutes.

Keep the pot closed – No peeking!

Turn the heat completely off and keep the pot covered for 5 more minutes…the Ptitim need to continue steaming – this is the last stage of cooking.

Use this time to chop the parsley finely.

After the 5 minutes are up, uncover the pot and add the chopped parsley.

Mix it in carefully and allow the heat of the dish to open up the parsley flavor and aroma… mmmmm…smells AMAZING! The Ptitim are ready.

I’m going all the way with the fanciness, so I got my ring. Spoon the Ptitim carefully into the ring and press down very gently.

Lift the ring and VOILA! – Beautiful and tasteful.

Drizzle just a bit with olive oil and decorate with fresh parsley leaves.

Ptitim

Toast the Pine Nuts.

Sauté Onions in Olive Oil on medium heat and add Pine Nuts.

Add cubed vegetables and minced Garlic.

Add Turmeric and Black Pepper and mix together.

Add the Ptitim and mix well.

Add boiling Water and Salt allow to cook for just a minute.

Cover pot and cook on the lowest heat for 10 minutes.

Turn heat off and keep pot covered for 5 more minutes.

Uncover and add chopped Parsley mix while the dish is hot.

Serve as is or arrange in a ring for a fancier look.