Couscous, Dumplings,
Spätzle, Gnocchi
Couscous Couscous is an elegantly simple
pasta that appears to have been invented by
the Berber peoples of northern Algeria and
Morocco between the 11th and 13th centuries.
It remains a staple dish in North Africa, the
Middle East, and Sicily. In its traditional
form, couscous is made by sprinkling salted
water into a bowl containing whole wheat
flour, then stirring with the fingers to form
little bits of dough. The bits are rubbed
between the hands and sieved to obtain
granules of uniform size, usually 1–3 mm in
diameter. There is no kneading and therefore
no gluten development, so this gentle
technique can be and is applied to many other
grains. Couscous granules are small enough
that they can be cooked not in a large excess
of water but in steam (traditionally over the
fragrant stew that it will accompany), which
allows them to develop a uniquely light,