When I go around the world, I like to live the daily habits of the people. This everyday life can be touched in local markets and less famous restaurants.
In my opinion, food is the first and main distinctive element of a community. Certain foods represent the culture, traditions and history of a people. My main reviews and photos are about food.
One of my favorite foods in my land and that represents us is the couscous. It is not just a food, but a symbol of integration between peoples.
The origins of our cous cous date back to the 16th century when the sailors of Trapani arrived to sail the seas of the North African coasts. These contacts with Africa favored cultural exchanges with the Maghrebians and allowed solid friendships.
The local fishermen of the time were fed with a fish soup made with unsold fish, instead the North Africans fed on a dish unknown: the couscous.
They prepared couscous with durum wheat semolina, mixed vegetables (carrots, courgettes, potatoes etc.) and lamb or chicken.
The Sicilian sailors copied the techniques for the preparation of this dish adapting it to their habits by preparing it with fish.
Today, as in that period, the preparation of couscous consists of several phases:
- The “incocciatura” which is the processing of durum wheat semolina with your hands, adding water to obtain semolina grains
- The “cottura” cooking of the semolina with the steam technique: two pots are superimposed and the steam passes from the pot below to the one above which is pierced and where there is the semolina
- In the pot below, pieces of lemon, bay leaf and onions are placed, in addition to water
- Once cooked, season the semolina with the fish broth, then cover it with woolen blankets to make the cous cous “rest” so that the semolina is flavored, imprisoning all the flavor of the seasoning
