Baci of couscous with creamy cheese and walnuts

Savory biscuits are a delicious alternative to sweet and can be served with afternoon tea or in a canapé spread. In today’s recipe, we bring all those delicious elements together in some crunchy baci of couscous with cream cheese and walnuts.

With only a few simple ingredients you can bake these delicious savory baci of couscous, add that creamy layer of cheese in between and some crunchy walnuts and you have a great afternoon snack ready in no time.

Here is how to prepare this delicious recipe at home:

• Preparation: 30 minutes
• Cooking: 20/25 minutes
• Portions: 10 salty baci

Recipe by Simona Novarini

 

Ingredients:

• 20 ml of water
• 20 grams of Martino Organic Whole Weat Couscous
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 100 grams of Parmigiano Reggiano
• 40 grams of corn flour
• 30 grams of flour 00
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper as needed
• 1 cube of melted butter
• 150 grams of Robiola
• Chives as needed
• Grounded nuts as needed

Preparation

Hydrate the Couscous:

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, pour 20 ml of water and add a pinch of salt and one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Bring to a simmer.

Turn off the heat and pour evenly 200 grams Martino Organic Whole Wheat Couscous. Cover with a lid and let the couscous absorb all the water slowly for about 4-5 minutes. After the necessary time, fluff the couscous with the help of a fork.

Prepare the Baci mixture

In a clean mixing bowl add 100 grams of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Add 40 grams of corn flour and 30 grams of wheat flour. Mix the ingredients with the help of a spoon.

Now add the eggs, the pinch of salt, pepper, and stir. In the end, add one cube of melted butter and mix everything well to obtain an amalgamated mixture. Set the mixture aside to cool down.

Prepare for baking

To begin with, line a baking tray with parchment paper. Next, take small portions from the dough and roll it into small balls with your fingers. Place them one by one on the baking tray.

Bake the salty couscous cookies in the preheated oven at 180°C and for about 20-25 minutes. The couscous balls should widen slightly and flatten at the bottom, where they are resting. After cooking, let them cool down.

Prepare the filling cream

In a small mixing bowl add 150 grams of Robiola, then add dried chives and grounded walnuts. Mix well until you have a delicious creamy paste ready to spread on your savory cookies.

Serving

Take one couscous cookie at the time and with the help of a little spoon spread some of the Robiola cream on the flat side. Place another cookie so that the cream stays in between the two cookies. Finally, roll the double cookie in a bowl of chopped walnuts. The walnuts will stick to the cream and will add some extra crunchiness to the delicious baci.

Notes

You can replace the Robiola cheese with your favorite cream cheese. Mascarpone and ricotta will do perfectly well for this delicious recipe!

Also note that you can replace walnuts with your favorite nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, and even cashews go perfectly well with this recipe as well.

Couscous is extremely versatile and it’s perfectly suitable to cook sweet treats and also savory snacks for you and your family. Either as breakfast, mid-morning or afternoon snack you can easily bake and enjoy these crunchy baci with creamy cheese and walnuts. And don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter to receive all the delicious Martino’s recipes directly in your inbox!

You don’t have to be an adventurous eater to enjoy these savory couscous biscuits. But if you want to put your own touch to this recipe you can always experiment with your favorite cheeses and nuts. Try serving them next to a hot bowl of soup for an elegant starter during the winter season, pack them for work and have them ready when you are craving something savory or give them your kids as a school snack! In any case, leave a comment to tell us your own version of this couscous recipe.