Cuscusu di Pistacchi, Monastero di Santo Spirito D’agrigento

Name: Cuscusu di Pistacchi, Monastero di Santo Spirito D’agrigento (Pistachio Couscous from the Santo Spirito Monastery, Agrigento)
Yield: Makes 8 to 12 servings
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon water; 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, finely grated; ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar; and candied cherries, or other candied fruit, for finishing; 1½ cups unsalted, shelled, very green pistachios; ½ cup sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ cup almond oil or mild vegetable oil; 1 cup all-purpose flour; ½ cup water; 1 cup couscous (NOT instant); 3 cups water; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 tablespoons water; 1 teaspoon almond extract

Pistachio Couscous from the Santo Spirito Monastery, Agrigento

Preparation info

Makes
8 to 12
servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Great Italian Desserts

By Nick Malgieri

Published 1990

About

I first heard of the famous pistachio couscous of Agrigento from Paula Wolfert, shortly before leaving on a trip through Italy with my friend Sandy Leonard in May 1988 to look for unusual recipes. Soon after Sandy and I arrived in Sicily, Paula’s friend Pasqualino Giudice put me in touch with the dean of Agrigento’s chefs, Professore Salvatore Schifano

Ingredients

Europe
Italy
Agrigento
Dessert
Vegan
Mediterranean
May

Ingredients

Method