Put the pure durum wheat semolina flour into the special container called “Mafaradda” (in Northern Africa it is called “Diefna”); dampen your hands slightly in salted water, start gathering the semolina using your right hand keeping your fingers straight to form minute grains about the size of pepper corns (this is a technique requiring a centuries-old skill, since only a year-long practice will allow the formation of grains with the same structure and size ).

After forming the grains, the cuscus thus obtained must be seasoned with olive oil and spread onto a dish towel to dry for at least three hours. Now move on to the cooking stage, using a special earthenware container called “Cuscusèra” (and in Northern Africa “Keskes”), composed of three sections: the lower part is similar to a high-sided pot and is used a water container; the middle section, a sort of colander, contains the cuscus so that it can be steamed without coming into contact with the water underneath; the top section is the lid; obviously, the three pieces are made so that they fit into one other and stay one on top of the other.
Place cuscus in the middle section only once the water has come to the boil, and seal – almost hermetically – with the lid using a strip of dough and a damp cloth arranged around the edge of the lid; in this way the steam cannot escape and gathers inside the pot.

Cooking time: 30 minutes: Halfway through the cooking, remove the cuscus from the pot, place it back into the Mafaradda and drizzle with a little cold water, allowing to rest for ten minutes; during this time it will start to swell. Place it back into the Cuscusera and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Finally, remove from the Cuscusera and arrange the cuscus in a hot serving dish, then dress with the hot (boned) fish chowder prepared before .