My culinary tour around the world with Near East begins in Italy—a country known for its wonderful cuisine, tradition and culture.
Now, you may be thinking, I love Italian food and I love couscous—but do the two go together? The short answer? Absolutely! Did you know that couscous is actually a type of pasta? Or, that Moroccan Arabs brought this pasta to Sicily when they landed on the island in the 800s? The traditional foods of the Arab people had quite an impact on Sicilian cuisine—in fact, today the Sicilians pay homage to their ancestors by hosting an annual Couscous Festival in the quiet fishing village of San Vito Lo Capo!
The beauty of Italian food is that there is such variety; there is so much more to Italian food than your typical spaghetti-and-meatballs. Each region of the country has its own distinct cuisine, unique flavors and favored cooking methods. Good cheese, wine and coffee are staples of the Italian kitchen, as are fresh herbs, such as basil (the most popular), Italian parsley, mint, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, sage and thyme. Aaaahhhh—I can smell them all now.
I always say that while it shouldn’t take long to create an amazing dish—you should always take the time to enjoy it! The Italians are certainly of this mind. It’s not uncommon for an average meal in Italy to last an hour or longer, as it’s widely considered quality time to be spent with family and friends. Typical Italian meals are three to four courses, but formal meals are served in a succession of up to nine courses!
For my recipe, Italian Capicola with Sweet Bell Pepper Couscous, I wanted to capture the spirit of Southern Italy … and to incorporate the traditional flavors of garlic, olive oil, olives and fresh basil. I added green onions, crimini mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini and hot Capicola ham (a common Italian cured meat) to the sauté and served it piping hot over a bed of fragrant Near East Parmesan couscous—delicious!
In my next post, I’ll give you some tips on how you can easily prepare my Italian delight. And next month, we’ll be traveling further along the Mediterranean coast—so get your palates ready to experience another authentic international recipe featuring Near East’s versatile Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil couscous.
Ciao for now,
Chef Bowen
