People used to make 1-inch-long vermicelli by rolling tiny pieces of dough between their fingers. Make it by breaking dry vermicelli in your hand.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　14 ounces dry vermicelli, broken with your hand into 1-inch pieces

　　2 chicken bouillon cubes

　　Salt

　　2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature

　　2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)

　　2/3 cup pine nuts

　　1 tablespoon vegetable oil

　　

Step 1

Cook the vermicelli in plenty of boiling water with the crumbled bouillon cubes until just tender, then drain. You may not need to add salt to the water, because of the saltiness of the cubes.

　　

Step 2

For the sauce, mix the yogurt with the garlic and a little salt.

　　

Step 3

For the topping, fry the pine nuts in the oil, shaking the pan, until lightly colored all over.

　　

Step 4

Serve the vermicelli with the yogurt poured over and sprinkled with the pine nuts.

　　

Variation

Step 5

Instead of the pine nuts, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil with 2 teaspoons paprika and dribble over the yogurt.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf