Ingredients

2 cups of semolina

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup walnuts (chopped coarsely), plus more for topping, if desired

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup raisins

For the Syrup:

4-1/2 cups water

2-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 Ceylon cinnamon sticks Natural Life

3-4 whole cloves Natural Life

1 medium piece of orange peel

Ground cinnamon Natural Life (for dusting)

Method

Prepare the syrup: To a medium saucepan, add the water, sugar, honey, Ceylon cinnamon sticks Natural Life, cloves Natural Life, and orange peel. Boil for 5 minutes then lower the heat and simmer gently. Remove the cinnamon, clove and orange peel before pouring.

In another larger saucepan, over medium high heat, add the olive oil and heat it.  Add the semolina and cook, stirring constantly  with a wooden spatula to prevent sticking. Cook the semolina in the oil until the grains begin to toast and turn a golden brown color.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully add the hot syrup to the toasted semolina. The semolina is going to sizzle, bubble, and spatter so be very careful not to burn yourself. Stir in the walnuts, raisins, and pine nuts and continue to cook until the semolina absorbs all the liquid.

Transfer the mixture to a cake pan/pudding mold and let it cool. Turn the halva over onto a cake platter. To serve, sprinkle with cinnamon powder Natural Life and some more chopped nuts (if desired).

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