Tlitli recipe differ from one region to another. It can be prepared with a red sauce or while sauce. Tlitli can contain chicken, meat or both.
This recipe is from the Eastern region of Algeria, specifically โ Constantineโ. The dish is mainly made with Tlitli pasta or melon seed pasta, chicken, meat ( lamb or beef), chickpeas and garnished with meatballs and boiled eggs.
This dish is prepared in special occasions in Algeria such as the Islamic New Year ( Awal Muharram), Mawlid Nabawi ( the celebration of the birth of prophet mohamed) and many other occasions.
The Tlitli ( pasta) is traditionally steamed 3 times.
Dump the steamed pasta in a large dish and add about 1 cup water. Let it absorb the water, then steam it for the second time for 15 minutes.
Once the chicken is cooked in the sauce, take it out and brown it in 1 tbsp butter.
Add the meatballs and the meat coated boiled eggs to the sauce. Let cook on low for 15 minutes. You may need to take out the meat coated boiled eggs in the first few minutes.
Put the Tlitli in a large saucepan. Strain the chicken/meat sauce and pour it over the Tlitli . You may not need to pour the whole sauce. The sauce should just cover the Tlitli. Place the saucepan over low heat.
๐ฉ๐ฟ Algerian Bird Tongue Pasta with Meat and Chicken – Tlitli
Ingredients
- 3 cups melon seed pasta (or Orzo pasta)
- 4 chicken pieces
- 1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and rinsed
- 1 lb beef in bones or lamb
- 1 large onion, minced
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder(optional)
- 2 boiled eggs, undercooked
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp minced onion
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
-
Prepare the sauce by putting 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, meat, chicken, salt, pepper, ginger, turmeric and let cook at low heat for 30 minutes.
-
Add boiled water, chickpeas and let cook.
-
Prepare the meatballs by mixing all the ingredients. Form walnut size balls. Cover with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. Make sure to keep a little bit of the ground meat to be used with the boiled eggs.
-
Take a small amount of ground meat mixture and cover the eggs with it ( this step is optional). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
-
Prepare the Melon seed pasta or Tlitli. In a large frying pan, roast the Melon seed pasta on low heat until golden.
-
Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the roasted pasta and mix well.
-
Place the pasta in the top of a steamer and steam for about 15 minutes.
-
Dump the steamed pasta in a large dish and add about 1 cup water. Let it absorb the water, then steam it for the second time for 15 minutes.
-
Dump the pasta in a large dish and add 1/4 tsp salt and about 2 cups of the strained chicken/meat sauce. Let it absorb the sauce, then steam it for the third and last time for 15 minutes.
-
Once the chicken is cooked in the sauce, take it out and brown it in 1 tbsp butter.
-
Add the meatballs and the meat coated boiled eggs to the sauce. Let cook on low for 15 minutes. You may need to take out the meat coated boiled eggs in the first few minutes.
-
Put the Tlitli in a large saucepan. Strain the chicken/meat sauce and pour it over the Tlitli . You may not need to pour the whole sauce. The sauce should just cover the Tlitli. Place the saucepan over low heat.
-
Let cook on low for 10 minutes or until the sauce is absorbed, then add 1 tablespoon butter and mix it well.
-
Serve the Tlitli garnished with chicken, meat, chickpeas, meatballs and meat coated boiled eggs (optional).
Allah yebarek
Excellent dish๐๐
I am glad you like it, thank you๐!