GreekFoodTV – Sweet Semolina Halva with PDO Greek Olive Oil is one of the healthiest desserts. To see the recipe, press the more button.
Halva with Semolina
10-12 servings
For the Syrup
3 cups granulated sugar
5 cups/1200 ml water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 piece of lemon zest
¼ cup pine nuts
¾ cup coarsely chopped pistachios, plus a bit more for garnish
1 cup/240 ml extra-virgin Greek olive oil
2 cups coarse semolina flour
½ cup Greek golden raisins
Grated orange zest
2 tsp. cinnamon for garnish
1. In a medium-size pot, bring sugar and water to a boil over medium heat. Add the zest. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes until a loose syrup is formed. Remove pan from heat and cool slightly.
2. In an ungreased skillet over medium heat, toast pine nuts and pistachios, stirring constantly, until very lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool.
3. In a large skillet or saucepan, heat olive oil until it just begins to sizzle, below the smoking point. Slowly add semolina, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over low heat until semolina is lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.
4. Take the pot off the flame, add the syrup very slowly to the semolina mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon. (Be careful not to burn yourself, as the mixture will bubble up rapidly.) Place the pot back on the flame. Stir over very low heat until the syrup is absorbed by the semolina and the mixture is thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add raisins, pistachios and pine nuts and stir. Add a little bit or grated orange zest. It is ready when it pulls sway from the sides of the pan. It should be congealed but grainy and honey colored. Remove the skillet from heat and pour the halva into a gelatin mold. Cover with a cloth and cool until it’s completely set. Unmold it, garnish by sprinkling with some ground cinnamon and some pistachios. Serve together with a cup of coffee.
Halva is a traditional dessert in the Greek kitchen that actually helps lower your cholesterol, thanks to the extra virgin Greek olive oil that is the only fat in the dish. Halva comes in many other versions in the Greek kitchen and is extremely versatile. Try this with frozen Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream or with some orange or other Greek spoon sweets on top. Halva is one of the classic Lenten, or fasting, desserts.
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Come to visit Diane and Vassili at their GLORIOUS GREEK KITCHEN COOKING SCHOOL (Ikaria). They run cooking classes and organize culinary tours in Greece for recreational and professional cooks. They also own DV FOOD ARTS CONSULTING, a food marketing company that produces specialty books and other food-and-wine-related literature for a wide variety of clients and independently for the tourist and other markets. Diane consults on Greek cuisine for restaurants, retail outlets and producers of fine Greek foods. Vassilis Stenos (photographer) offers an extensive archive of food and travel photographs of Greece.
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