Halvas Nistisimos / Semolina pudding

Halvas is a semolina pudding and very popular during Lent when people are forbidden from eating anything that’s derived from an animal; no meat, milk, eggs or butter. This pudding is vegan if you substitute the honey for Agave syrup. It also contains no oil.

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups water
¼ cup sugar
½ cup Semolina, coarse or fine
3-4 tbs honey or agave syrup
½ cup orange juice
Grated zest of half an orange or lemon
3 tbsp rosewater
50g blanched almonds, coarsely chopped

For the topping:
Sugar
Ground cinnamon
Extra coarsely chopped almonds with skin on
1 square dish 24x24cm (9×9 inch)

Method:
Place sugar, water and honey in a saucepan and bring to the boil. When sugar dissolves, turn the heat down, sprinkle the semolina, pour in the orange juice and keep mixing until it thickens and comes away from the saucepan.
Remove from the heat and mix in the rosewater, orange or lemon zest and chopped blanched almonds.
Pour into a square glass dish, sooth the top and sprinkle with sugar, chopped almonds and ground cinnamon. Serve warm or cold cut into squares or diamonds.
Καλή Σαρακοστή!