Ruby Ptitim Pilaf with Dill and Feta

Pearls of Israeli Couscous are transformed into rubies with the addition of tiny cubes of roasted beet. Copious amounts of fresh chopped dill and tangy sheep’s milk feta make the flavor of this pilaf irresistible, and a knob of sweet butter brings it to a brilliant crescendo with a silky finish.

Today I’m making this as part of my menu for Parasha Behar. It will be gorgeous piled next to white Chilean Sea Bass that’s drizzled with, among other things, pomegranate molasses.

You’ll notice that I don’t give exact measurements for some ingredients. How much dill? Lots. How much feta? How much do you want? Would you like to add pistachios or slivered almonds? Go for it! It’s your kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Israeli Pearl Couscous (Ptitim)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced

• 1—2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 medium roasted beet (freshly roasted or purchased already cooked)

• 1 ½ cups water

• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

• 2 teaspoons za’atar

• a few grinds of the pepper mill

• a large bunch of fresh dill fronds

• crumbled feta cheese

Method:

• Warm the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until it’s soft and translucent.

• Add the couscous, the salt, and the garlic and sauté until the couscous is lightly toasted and the onion is lightly caramelized.

• Cut the beet into the tiniest cubes you can manage, or coarsely chop it, and add it into the pot, stirring to incorporate it with the other ingredients.

• Add the water and bring it to a boil. Then cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the couscous is tender but still firm—not mushy.

• Stir in the butter.

• Finely chop the dill and fold it into the couscous with a few grinds of the pepper mill.

• Fold in the feta, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed—remember that feta can be quite salty—and spoon the ruby couscous into a serving plate. Sprinkle a little more dill and feta on top, if you’d like.