Nawasar Mafawwra ( Steamed pasta squares with spiced lamb and chickpea

[Adam Balic]

Nawasar Mafawwra ( Steamed pasta squares with spiced lamb and chickpeas)

This recipe is from Pasta Around the Mediterranean in the eCGI

• 500 g of pasta (pasta squares called “Nawasar” in Tunisian or “Quadratini” in Italy*)
  
• 500 g of boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 2.5 by 3.5 cm chunks (or you can use leg of lamb or even lamb shanks).
  
• 1 small onion, finely diced
  
• 2 T of Harisa
  
• 1 tsp of cayenne, Aleppo or other hot chilli powder
  
• 2 T of double concentrated tomato paste
  
• 2 c of cooked chickpeas
  
• 250 g of small potatoes or Jerusalem artichokes (the latter isn’t traditional, I just like them)
  
• 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil, plus a few splashes more
  
• 3 T of unsalted butter (the Italian Alpine butter is particularly good, its sourness contrasts well with the hot pasta sauce.
  
• 4 raw eggs in the shell (wash the shells well)
  
• Salt and ground black pepper
  

1. In a large heavy-based casserole dish or kiskis, if you have one, cook the onion in a little oil until soft and translucent. Remove onion. In the same vessel, brown the lamb on all sides. Do this in small batches.

2. Add all the lamb and the onions back to the pot or kiskis base. Add red and black pepper, harisa, tomato paste and water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the four eggs in their shell. In the last half hour of cooking add the chickpeas and potatoes. Check seasoning at this point.

3. If you have a kiskis, mix the pasta with the remaining olive oil until well coated and add to the top section of the kiskis. When steam begins to appear, place the lid back on and steam for three hours. Yes, that’s right, three hours! Toss the pasta in the kiskis every 20-30 minutes or so to prevent sticking.

4. If you don’t have a kiskis, cook the stew for three hours in a lidded casserole pot and cook the pasta in salted boiling water as per normal. However, the pasta must be cooked to a softer stage than al dente. This is not an Italian recipe after all. When the pasta is cooked, drain and mix with butter until coated.

5. After three hours the lamb should be very tender and the sauce will be reduced somewhat. Remove the meat, potatoes and eggs from the sauce. If the sauce looks very liquid still, reduce it until it thickens. Mix this sauce with the pasta, place in a serving bowl and place the meat, peeled eggs and potatoes on top of the pasta. Serve.

* I have difficulty finding this pasta, so I tend to use 2 cm “farfalle” or “orrechiette” pasta, as I happen to like them.

** The eggs cooked in this manner, in their shells, are very good as caramel type flavours start to develop in the egg white. You can use peeled, hard- boiled eggs if you are not convinced.

ITALY

Keywords: Pasta, eGCI

( RG903 )