Osem Israeli Pearl Couscous 500g

Invented in Israel and now on menus everywhere. Osem Pearl Couscous — ptitim — is toasted wheat pasta rolled into little pearls that cook in about ten minutes into something plump, springy and nutty, with a chew closer to risotto rice than to ordinary couscous. The toasting is what does it, giving a warm, bread-like depth you cannot get from plain pasta.

Toss it with roasted vegetables, lemon and herbs for a salad that holds up all day, serve it under slow-cooked lamb or chicken to soak up the sauce, or do it the traditional way: fried in a little oil with onion until golden, then simmered in stock. Children eat it happily with nothing more than butter.

• 500g bag of toasted pearl couscous
• Ready in around 10 minutes
• Plump, nutty and satisfyingly chewy
• Perfect for salads, stews and as a side for roasts
• Imported by Osem