Steamed Pasta Squares with Lamb and Chickpeas in a Spicy Sauce
Nawasar Mafawwra
Region: Tunisia
Category: Pasta with Lamb
Season: Any
Difficulty: Medium Difficulty

Nawasar is a Tunisian pasta shape identical to the Italian quadratini or the Greek hilopittes, flat quarter-inch squares of macaroni. The name of this antique form of pasta has an interesting heritage. Nawasar is the plural of nasra, square silver coins that were a unit of coinage during the Almohad period (c. 1145-1237) in Tunisia.(See Note). In Algeria, the same pasta is called makarfta. This pasta is cooked mafawwra, but although the word mafawwra comes from the root word fawra, meaning "to boil," this method actually steams the pasta squares in a couscoussièr, unlike the Italians who boil quadratini for soups and minestrone.

Yield: Makes 6 servings
Preparation Time: 4 hours

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 pound boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 teaspoons cayenne or red Aleppo pepper 1 tablespoon harīsa

2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained 3/4 pound small white potatoes, peeled 2 quarts water, or as needed 1 pound nawasar (quadratini) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 hard-boiled eggs (optional), shelled and quartered

1. In the bottom part of a couscoussièr or pot that can fit a colander on top, heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil over high heat, then cook the onion until soft, about 2 minutes, stirring. Salt and pepper the lamb, then brown it with the onion on all sides, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the red pepper, harīsa, tomato paste, chickpeas, potatoes, and 1 quart of the water.

2. Toss the dry or fresh pasta squares with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Place the pasta loosely in the top part of a couscoussièr or in the colander. Place the top part or colander over the bottom part or pot. Steam the pasta over medium-high heat, covered, until you begin to see steam rising through the pasta, about 30 minutes, tossing the pasta occasionally. From that point, cook dried pasta 3 hours, replenishing the broth with another quart of water, if necessary. If using fresh pasta, steam for 1 hour. Toss the pasta occasionally while it steams.

3. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and toss with the butter and sauce. Arrange the meat and potatoes around the pasta and garnish with the hard-boiled eggs if desired.

Variation:  Cook the lamb and sauce in a casserole. After the lamb has cooked for 3 hours add 1 quart water, bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until soft.

Note:  I believe these might have been the distinctive square silver coins that became known as milares by western Europeans that were minted in Tunis, see Peter Spufford, Money and its Use in Medieval Europe, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988, p. 171 and Harry W. Hazard, The Numismatic History of Late Medieval North Africa, Numismatic Studies VII, New York: American Numismatic Society, 1952.

Posted: 01/11/2007

Needed Recipes:

Harisa