AI-generated image
Trida (steamed pasta squares in chicken sauce)
Trida: Constantine's hand-rolled pasta squares, steamed and served in chicken and chickpea sauce
AlgerianMaking trida is an afternoon's work shared around a Constantine kitchen table, especially before Mawlid or a family celebration: a firm semolina dough is rolled paper-thin, cut into small squares, dried, and then steamed twice over a pot of chicken and chickpea sauce flavoured with cinnamon and a touch of tomato. The squares come out tender with a slight bite, glossy with butter and sauce, and are piled on a platter under the chicken. A pasta machine saves a lot of rolling. Chef's tip: dust the cut squares well with semolina and let them dry for half an hour; damp squares are the usual mistake and stick into a single mass in the steamer.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 9 oz fine semolinaplus extra for dusting
- 5 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup waterroughly
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 oz buttersoft
For the chicken sauce
- 4 chicken legsabout 1 kg, skin removed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 oniongrated
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeasdrained
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz fine semolina, 5 ½ oz plain flour and 1 tsp salt, then add ¾ cup water gradually and knead for 10 minutes into a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Meanwhile, start the sauce. In the bottom of a couscoussier or a large pot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat and add 4 chicken legs, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 ½ tsp salt. Stir for 5 minutes, then add 1 tbsp tomato paste for 1 minute.
6 minStep 3: Add 6 ¼ cups water and 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeas, bring to the boil and simmer partly covered for 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and reads 165°F at the thickest part.
40 minStep 4: While the sauce simmers, roll the dough in pieces to 1 to 2 mm thick with a rolling pin or a pasta machine. Cut into 2.5 cm squares, toss in semolina and spread on a cloth to dry for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 6: Tip the squares into a wide dish, sprinkle with a ladle of hot sauce and separate them gently with your fingers or a fork. Return to the steamer for another 10 minutes, until tender.
10 minStep 7: Toss the steamed trida with 1 oz butter and two ladles of sauce. Lift the chicken out of the pot, pile the pasta on a warm platter, set the chicken on top and spoon over the chickpeas and remaining sauce.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 820 kcal
- Protein
- 55 g
- Carbs
- 90 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does trida (steamed pasta squares in chicken sauce) take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Boiled pasta
The basic method for any dried pasta, from penne to spaghetti. A large pan of salted boiling water keeps the pasta from sticking, and you cook it only until just done, with a little bite left. Use it in salads, bakes or with any sauce.
Italian
Mint pistachio pesto
A fresh, fragrant pesto made with mint leaves and toasted pistachios. It is lovely tossed through hot pasta or spooned over roasted vegetables, and a spoonful lifts a plain vegetable soup.
Laksam
Kota Bharu's morning market has its own noodle: laksam, thick sheets of steamed rice batter rolled up like little carpets and sliced into wheels. They are drowned in a pale, creamy gravy of pounded fish and coconut milk, then heaped with raw herbs and vegetables (ulam): cucumber, long beans, bean sprouts, daun kesum and torch ginger flower, with a spoonful of fiery chilli and budu, the region's fermented anchovy sauce. The result is soft and slippery, rich and cool at the same time. Locals eat it for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack. Chef's tip: pound the cooked fish with the shallots instead of blending it smooth; the gravy should feel faintly textured, like a thin porridge.
Malaysian