Rustichella d'Abruzzo artisanal pastas begin with two ingredients: stone ground durum wheat flour from hard winter wheat and pure spring water from the Abruzzo mountains. The dough is kneaded and pulled to develop gluten and then allowed to rest. The dough is then put into traditional pasta making equipment fitted with hand-carved bronze dies. These dies create a porous texture, thus allowing for sauce absorption and even cooking. To develop the artisanal characteristics even further, the pasta is air dried for 36-56 hours in specially designed rooms that emulate the warm breezes of Abruzzo. Couscous is semolina flour and water mixed by hand to create tiny grains of slightly different sizes. Originating in Northern Africa, it quickly found its' way to Sicily. There, it is typically served with fish. It is also delicious with roasted meats or vegetables.