Moroccan cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Tlitli

Rice-shaped pasta, oven-roasted and cooked in a tomato-cinnamon sauce with chicken and chickpeas.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g tlitli (or risoni/kritharaki)
• 800 g chicken pieces
• 2 onions
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp ras el hanout
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads
• 1 can chickpeas (400 g)
• 4 tbsp clarified butter
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Spread the tlitli on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 180 °C for 8–10 min. until light brown and nutty-smelling, then set aside.
2. Finely dice the onions and sauté in the clarified butter in a wide pot over medium heat for 6–7 min. until translucent, then add the chicken pieces and sear all over.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, ras el hanout, saffron and the cinnamon stick and toast for 2 min. until the mixture turns dark and fragrant.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and 700 ml hot water, season with salt and pepper and simmer covered for 30 min. until the meat is tender; then remove the chicken pieces and keep warm.
5. Add the toasted tlitli and rinsed chickpeas to the sauce and cook uncovered for 12–14 min., stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the sauce clings creamily to the spoon.
6. Remove the cinnamon stick, return the meat to the pot, let it heat through briefly and serve straight from the pot sprinkled with chopped parsley.