Mafroukeh (Lebanese Semolina Pudding)

La storia di questo piatto

Mafroukeh belongs to the Levant, where semolina, cream and orange blossom water have long meant celebration and generous mornings. This is a dish of gentle abundance: golden grain, a veil of cream, and the perfume of orange blossom drifting over the table.

Ingredienti

• 250 g Fine semolina
• 150 g Clarified butter (ghee)
• 400 ml Whole milk
• 200 ml Fresh cream (35% fat whipping cream)
• 100 g Sugar
• 3 tablespoons Orange blossom water
• 80 g Coarsely chopped pistachios
• 50 g Pine nuts
• 1 pinch Ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch Fine salt
• 1 tablespoons Icing sugar

Preparazione

1. In a wide pan over medium-low heat, pour all the clarified butter (150 g). Wait until it is very warm: when you add the semolina, it should sizzle immediately with a small hiss. Add the semolina gradually together with the pinch of fine salt, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps. Keep stirring without stopping: the semolina will gradually turn from white to deep golden. When you smell a sweet aroma like toasted dried fruit (such as toasted hazelnuts or almonds), the semolina is ready. This step is essential: if you stop stirring even for a few seconds, the semolina will burn on the bottom of the pan and become bitter. Lower the heat to minimum and keep the pan on the stove.
2. In a small saucepan, pour the milk and turn the heat to medium. Add the sugar and stir with a spoon until no granules remain at the bottom: the mixture should become smooth and homogeneous. Watch the edges of the saucepan carefully: when the milk begins to steam slightly at the edges (you will see small wisps of vapor rising) but is not truly boiling (that is, no large bubbles are rising), immediately turn off the heat. Add the orange blossom water and stir well to distribute it evenly throughout the milk.
3. With the semolina pan on very low heat, pour all the hot milk in one go, stirring immediately and vigorously with a wooden spatula (watch out for steam splashes). Continue cooking and stirring for 4–5 minutes: the semolina will absorb the liquid, swell, and the mixture will become thick and creamy. When the spatula meets good resistance and the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan forming a compact mass, turn off the heat: this way the semolina will be well cooked and not grainy.
4. Transfer the mixture to a shallow rectangular baking dish. Take a spoon, wet it with a little cold water, and use the back of it to level the surface well so that it is smooth and even. Let it cool at room temperature for 30–40 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes in total: refrigeration is necessary so the base becomes firm and can be cut. To check, bring the back of your hand close to the surface without touching the mixture: it should no longer give off heat. The base must be completely cold before being covered, otherwise the cream will melt.
5. When the base is cold, pour the cold cream into a cold bowl and add the tablespoon of icing sugar. Using an electric whisk (or by hand if you don't have one), begin whipping: you will see it change from liquid and transparent to frothy and white. Continue until it reaches a soft, velvety consistency, like a thick, airy mousse. To know when it is ready: lift the whisk and watch the cream fall: it should form a small soft peak that slowly bends. Stop immediately: if you overwhip the cream it will become grainy and start to separate, turning into butter.
6. Take the whipped cream and spread it generously over the surface of the now-cold semolina with a spatula, creating small waves and irregular ridges for a rustic, appetizing effect. Alternatively, for a more authentic result, use ashta or kaymak instead of the whipped cream. Toast the pine nuts for 1–2 minutes in a dry pan, stirring constantly, until golden. Sprinkle the surface with the coarsely chopped pistachios, scatter the toasted pine nuts here and there, and finish with a light dusting of cinnamon. If you like, serve with a drizzle of fragrant sugar syrup (atar) on the side.
7. Cover the baking dish and return the mafroukeh to the refrigerator for another 20–30 minutes, just long enough for the cream to settle on the cold base. Cut into square portions with a wet knife. Serve fresh, removed from the refrigerator about ten minutes beforehand.