Mhalbiya with Citrus Medley and Orange Blossom Water

La storia di questo piatto

Born from the white-washed medinas of the Maghreb, Mhalbiya carries the memory of Moorish nights and Andalusian gardens lost to time — a dessert that belongs to the threshold between the sacred and the sweet, offered at celebrations where love and ritual share the same silver bowl.

Ingredienti

• 500 ml Whole milk
• 3 tablespoons Cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Rose water
• 3 fruits Oranges
• 2 fruits Mandarins
• 2 tablespoons Orange blossom water
• 30 g Chopped pistachios
• 20 g Pine nuts

Preparazione

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat over medium flame — listen carefully: when small wisps of steam begin rising from the bottom, that's your signal; it must never boil. Meanwhile, in a bowl, take the cornstarch and pour it slowly into cold milk, stirring with a spoon: this trick prevents lumps, which nobody wants. Mix well until silky smooth.
2. Now comes the delicate moment: pour the cornstarch mixture into the hot milk, but slowly, slowly, while whisking constantly without pause. You'll see the pudding begin to thicken and turn creamy — keep stirring for 3-4 minutes, always from the bottom toward the top. When it coats the spoon like velvet, that's when it's ready.
3. Remove from heat and add the sugar and rose water — stir well to dissolve the sugar, then leave it on the turned-off burner for just one minute more, so the fragrance spreads everywhere. Pour the pudding into bowls and let it cool at room temperature until lukewarm — patience is golden here. Then refrigerate: at least 2 hours, even longer if possible, so it becomes creamy and chilled just right.
4. While the pudding rests, prepare the fruit medley: peel the citrus fruits — oranges and mandarins — by hand or with a knife, then gently separate the segments and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a bowl, pour the orange blossom water, and let sit for 10 minutes: you'll see the fragrances meld and the liquid becomes as aromatic as a garden.
5. When the pudding is chilled and the fruit is ready, remove the pudding from the refrigerator and distribute the citrus segments over each portion, drizzling with the sweet fragrant liquid that has formed — it's the nectar of mhalbiya. Finish with a generous pinch of coarsely chopped pistachios and toasted pine nuts: golden and crunchy, they give that touch that makes every spoonful special.