Couscous con Verdure (Italian Vegetable Couscous)

While planning my 2023 trip to Sicily, couscous wasn’t exactly on my radar. After all, I had Italian dishes on my mind. How could a North African staple fit in? But the more I explored the island’s layered history, shaped by centuries of conquest and cultural exchange, the more a new picture started to form. Outside influences gradually became local traditions, and couscous had long earned its place at the Sicilian table. While it’s not found everywhere, it’s considered a regional speciality, particularly in the western part of the island. Its roots trace back to the Arab rule between the 9th and 11th centuries, when it was introduced and slowly evolved into what’s now known as Couscous con Verdure.

That wasn’t my only surprising discovery. Did you know that couscous is made from durum wheat — the same grain used in many classic pasta shapes? Technically, it’s world’s tiniest pasta, which makes it feel even more at home on an Italian plate.

To see how this dish is made, I travelled to Cantina Siciliana, where chef Hajer Aissi invited me into her Slow Food kitchen nestled into a labyrinth of narrow alleys in the heart of Trapani. Traditionally, couscous is “rolled” by hand while water is slowly added. This method saturates the grains without making them clump, a process that is called frisculiata (cold processing) in the Sicilian dialect. At home, I’ve adapted a quicker version: soak the couscous first, then briefly rub grains between your hands to create that light, fluffy texture.

Next comes the steaming. The couscous is placed in a couscoussiera, a terracotta vessel with holes at the bottom, set over a pot of simmering water. The edges are sealed with dough to keep the steam in and let the magic happen.

The final step is called abbiviare, meaning “to bathe.” The couscous is gently ladled with a warm, freshly made vegetable broth, allowing each grain to soak up the flavour. You can watch this time-honoured technique in action in the Sicily episode of my series Vegan Cultures:

The dish may sound elaborate, but it’s surprisingly simple to recreate at home and the result is a deeply satisfying, almost juicy couscous with all the charm of the Mediterranean.

Here’s how you make it…

Couscous con Verdure (Italian Vegetable Couscous)

Active time: 40 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

Vegetable Broth

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large red onion (200g)

• 1 large red pepper (350g)

• 30g parsley

• 4 tbsp tomato paste (100g)

• 1 small potato

• 1 carrot

• 1 large tomato (150g)

• 1 small courgette (200g)

• 5 large garlic cloves

• 1 570g jar of chickpeas (or 1 1/2 x 400g cans; or cooked from 160g dried, see note below)

• 60g pitted black olives

• 1 tbsp salt (14g)

Couscous

• 300g couscous

• 1/2 tsp salt (4g)

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 small cinnamon stick

Method

To make the vegetable broth, heat the olive oil in a casserole. Peel and thinly slice the onion and sauté over high heat in the oil until they just begin to caramelise.

Meanwhile, cut the pepper into large strips or chunks; trim and discard the lower stems of the parsley and roughly chop the rest, reserving some as a garnish later on. Add the pepper to the casserole and continue sautéing for a minute, then stir in the tomato paste until it coats the veg evenly.

Add the parsley, followed by 500ml of water. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Whilst the water is heating up, cut the potato, carrot, tomato and courgette into small chunks (no need to peel any of it), adding them to the casserole as you go. Peel the garlic cloves and add them as well along with the chickpeas, olives and salt. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat again and simmer covered for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the couscous, salt and olive oil to a large bowl. Break the cinnamon stick in half and add to the bowl as well, then pour in 150ml of boiling water from the kettle. Give it a stir, cover the bowl with a plate and leave to soak for 10 minutes.

Discard the cinnamon and rub the couscous between your hands to separate the grains and aerate them. Set aside.

When the vegetables are ready, turn off the heat. Use a ladle to transfer around 300ml of the vegetable broth to the couscous and stir it well with a fork.

Then cover it again with the plate and leave to soak for a final 5 minutes. It should be just tender by this point, otherwise add more broth/hot water.

To serve, divide the couscous over plates, top with the cooked veg, a little more broth, the reserved parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

• Jarred chickpeas are often pre-seasoned. If using unseasoned cooked chickpeas, make sure to add 1/2 tsp more salt to the broth.

• To cook the chickpeas from scratch: Soak them with 1 teaspoon (7g) of salt in around 500ml of water overnight. The next day, drain and rinse them and add them to a pan with 1l of water. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid left slightly ajar for 1 1/2 hours or until just tender. Alternatively, cook with 1l of water for around 15 minutes in a pressure cooker.

If you try one thing this week, let it be this. I’ll be back next Tuesday for another biweekly round-up. Have a great weekend!

Much love,Julius