Ptitim Pilaf (Israeli Couscous)
Tags: #IsraeliFood #Side #Pilaf #Stovetop #Parve
Serving: 4 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Toasted pearl pasta simmered pilaf-style with onion, warm spices, and stock until tender and fluffy.
Ingredients
- 320g ptitim (Israeli couscous)
- 650ml hot chicken or vegetable stock
- 30ml olive oil
- 120g onion, small dice
- 10g garlic, minced
- 6g kosher salt
- 1g ground black pepper
- 1g ground turmeric
- 1g ground cumin
- 15g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Steps
- Warm the stock until steaming.
- Heat a heavy 24cm saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil.
- Add the diced onion.
- Cook the onion until translucent, 5–6 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic.
- Cook the garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Add the ptitim.
- Toast the ptitim until golden in spots, 3–4 minutes.
- Add the ground turmeric.
- Add the ground cumin.
- Stir until the grains are evenly coated, 20 seconds.
- Pour in the hot stock.
- Add the kosher salt.
- Add the ground black pepper.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pot.
- Cook until the liquid is absorbed, 10–12 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Rest covered for 5 minutes.
- Uncover the pot.
- Fluff with a fork.
- Fold in the chopped parsley.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Background: Ptitim, created in 1950s Israel, is toasted wheat pasta shaped like pearls. Cooking it pilaf-style—first toasting, then absorbing stock—yields nutty flavor and separate, tender grains.
- Technique tips:
- Toasting deepens flavor and helps the grains stay distinct.
- Using hot stock maintains an even simmer and prevents gumming.
- Resting covered finishes steaming and sets the texture.
- Variations:
- Add 120g peas in Step 13 for classic color and sweetness.
- Stir in 20g unsalted butter in Step 24 for a glossy finish.