Rechta, Libyan pasta, steamed
Thin, steamed pasta strips, similar to couscous, coated with oil paint, orange blossom water, and cinnamon: a Libyan Jewish specialty.
Rechta is the Libyan equivalent of couscous. These thin strands of dough are steamed, then flavored with olive oil, orange blossom water, and cinnamon.
Ingredients and directions
- Prep time1 hr
- Cook time40 min
- Total1 hr 40 min
- DifficultyHard
- CostBudget
- Cooking methodsteam
- Estimated cost$2.93 $0.49 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 7, 2026.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
Ingredients
people
- $0.66
- $0.13
- $0.38
- $1.52
- $0.24
Prices from US supermarkets for 4 of 5 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.
Directions
- Mix the flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of oil paint with 10 cl of water, then knead. ≈ 10 min
- Gradually add the water while kneading until you obtain a firm and homogenous dough. Form the dough into balls, about the size of a tennis ball. ≈ 10 min
- Set the pasta machine to thickness setting number 1 (you can also roll out the dough manually). Feed the dough balls through the machine to obtain elongated strips of approximately 2 mm thickness. ≈ 10 min
- Next, pass the strips through the setting #2, and then the setting #7, to obtain long, very thin strips. Dust the dough with flour at each pass to prevent it from sticking. ≈ 3 min
- Place each thin strip in the area for pasta, the narrowest part, to create long strands of dough. ≈ 3 min
- Fill the couscous pot with water, cover with the steamer basket, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once steam starts to escape, place the couscous in the basket and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
- First, drain the rice and place it in a bowl. Then, mix it with about 35 cl of water, stirring to prevent clumping. Let the water absorb. ≈ 4 min
- Repeat once after steaming, then mix again.
- In a glass, combine the oil paint, orange blossom water, and cinnamon. Pour the mixture onto the recta and mix well to ensure an even distribution. ≈ 4 min
The bill
Rechta, Libyan pasta, steamed
- 500 g of flour$0.66
- 2 tablespoons of oil paint$0.13
- 6 tablespoons of oil paint for the final seasoning$0.38
- 6 tablespoons of orange blossom water$1.52
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon$0.24
Total$2.93
that's $0.49 per person
Estimated price; varies by store.
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