Today we have the privilege of looking at a menu and appreciating dishes from all over the world. This privilege is the result of encounters between different peoples over time and an increasingly cosmopolitan society.
Indeed, alongside our country’s traditional cuisine, we often encounter a variety of foods whose origins we don’t know. This is why today, we will talk about a dish that has long been a star in our kitchen: couscous.
A Bit of Historical Curiosity
This typical food of North Africa seems to date back to the 7th century AD, although a fascinating legend places it much earlier. It is said that around 950-930 BC, King Solomon ate large quantities of couscous to ease the heartache caused by the Queen of Sheba
In more recent times, this humble food became a source of sustenance for nomadic populations, gradually spreading from the central part of Africa to the Maghreb, where it is still consumed in large quantities today, accompanied by vegetables, lamb/mutton, and broth, with a spicy sauce called harissa made from chili, oil, and garlic.
Couscous arrived in Europe—particularly in Italy, Spain, and France—thanks to merchants who constantly sailed the seas. More precisely, one of the first places where couscous was adopted and appreciated was Sicily in the 1600s, when the Arabs introduced it to Trapani and the surrounding area.
The Sicilian Couscous
Trapani has become the cradle of Sicilian couscous, better known as “Couscous alla Trapanese” or cùscusu in the local dialect. This dish is made from ground durum wheat semolina, sifted and hand-rolled into tiny granules that are steamed in a special glazed terracotta pot and seasoned with a delicious fish soup broth.
In San Vito Lo Capo (Trapani), couscous has become an iconic dish, celebrated during the ‘Cous Cous Fest,’ an international event that brings together chefs and enthusiasts from around the world to honor this extraordinary dish.
Trapani couscous stands out from that of other nationalities in at least two ways. The first is its cooking in fish broth, and the second is the pot in which it is cooked, known as the cuscussiera. This pot is divided into two parts, and the couscous is practically steamed by the broth placed in the lower part of the pot. To make an excellent fish broth, various types of fish and shellfish are combined with carrots, celery, onions, saffron, and aromatic herbs.
The ideal wine pairing
As mentioned, couscous represents a gift from the various dominations that have taken place in Sicily. For this reason, we can now say that couscous is an integral part of Sicilian culinary culture. We suggest pairing the Trapanese version with an aromatic wine that is emblematic of the island’s culture: Zibibbo.
The dry Zibibbo from Baglio Diar, Fantasia, with its citrus and aromatic herb notes, is the ideal pairing for fish couscous, providing a pleasant and long-lasting finish.
After this brief journey through the curiosities and history of this Mediterranean specialty, we hope you will take our advice and try this extraordinary pairing.