Ingredients (4 portions)

For cous cous:

250 coarse semolina
extra virgin olive oil
water

For the sauce:

1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 rib of celery
1 carrot
1 sprig of rosemary
300 g lamb
100 g dried chickpeas
4 dried tomatoes
4 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tablespoons mixed cous cous spices (cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, turmeric/indian saffron)
2 teaspoons of harissa
extra virgin olive oil

Preparazione

Cous cous is one of the most representative and tasty dishes of North African and Middle Eastern cuisine. There are countless versions, sharing the wealth of flavors and clever use of spices: in this variation the strong flavors of lamb and chickpeas is accented with a generous mix of spices including hot harissa.

To prepare it, leave the dried chickpeas to soak in cold water for about 24 hours, then boil them with a clove garlic peeled and crushed and a sprig of rosemary for about 2 hours (or cooke them in a pressure cooler for about 1 hour). Work to prepare the coarse semolina with a little olive oil and warm water, until you get the typical grains of cous cous.

Peel and chop the onion, the carrot, the celery rib and the dried tomatoes, then brown them in the bottom of the cous cous pot with four tablespoons of olive oil. When the onion begins to soften add the chickpeas and the minced lamb meat. When the meat is well browned add the tomato paste, cover with water (about 1 liter should be sufficient), add salt, two tablespoons of mixed spices for cous cous (alternatively, a pinch of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, indian saffron/turmeric) and two teaspoons of hot harissa.

Put on the top the upper part of the cous cous pot with the cous cous in; simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally the cous cous, taking care that the water at the bottom doesn't completely evaporate (you can seal the two parts of the pot with aluminum foil). After cooking flavor the cous cous with the lamb and chickpeas stew. The spicy cous cous with lamb, chickpeas and harissa can be served hot, just ready (in this case, you can separately serve couscous and sauce separately, so that each diner will serve as himself) but it is better if allowed to stand for some time so that the cous cous can absorb all the best flavors and aromas, and served warm.