A typical recipe of the island of Carloforte with a fascinating history. Semolina, chickpeas and wild fennel are the ingredients that can not miss!
It is not a simple couscous. The cascà alla carlofortina it is a dish that is difficult to taste outside of Sardinia, or rather from the region of Sulcis, in the south west of the island, between Carloforte and the village of Calasetta. The plate is the protagonist of a festival dedicated to him, that of Couscous Tabarchino, which is held every year in April in Carloforte. But its history has ancient roots: the population of these areas was of Ligurian origins and, between 1540 and 1738, colonized an area of Tunisia, on theTabarka island. Hence the Arab influences in the Carloforte cuisine. There are several versions of this recipe: in fact, durum wheat semolina is mixed with various vegetables and legumes (winter or spring depending on the season), herbs and spices. Over time, pork has also been added (such as thumbtacks for example). Let's find out how to prepare this dish.
The recipe of carlofortina cascà
Ingredients for 4 people
To prepare the cascà alla carlofortina you will need: 250 g of cous cous, half savoy cabbage, 150 g of ready-made canned chickpeas (if you dry them, remember to put them in the water overnight), 3 medium carrots, 1 onion, 1 small cauliflower, 2 artichokes (if it is season, otherwise you can replace them with courgette or potato and add for example peas and aubergines) 1 bunch of wild fennel, extra virgin olive oil to taste, mix of powdered spices (coriander, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, nutmeg), salt to taste.
Method
Put 250 ml of water on the fire with the addition of a spoonful of extra virgin olive oil. Bring to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat and add the couscous. Let it rest covered so that it absorbs the water and swells. Add more oil (about 2 tablespoons) and mix it. Once ready, shell it with a fork and set it aside.
Chop the onion and brown it in a pan together with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Then add the cabbage cut into slices, carrots, cauliflower (and any other seasonal vegetables). Add water little by little to finish cooking the vegetables. Don't forget the wild fennel.
If the chickpeas are dry, boil them in salted boiling water for 45 minutes in a pressure cooker.
Heat more oil and brown a clove of garlic, add the clean artichokes and cut into small pieces. It will take about 15 minutes.
Add all the ingredients, sprinkle everything with the spices in the quantity you want, then serve.
Browse the gallery to find out more curiosities about the history and origins of this dish
This recipe has already been read 346 times!