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1
Warm the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the flour all at once and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes until the mixture turns a pale straw colour and smells lightly nutty — the raw flour scent must be gone before any liquid is added.
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2
Begin adding the milk in a thin, steady stream, stirring without pause. This is where the dish lives or dies: any lapse in stirring produces lumps that cannot be recovered. Continue until all the milk is incorporated and the mixture is perfectly smooth.
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3
Add the anise liqueur and honey. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook, stirring constantly, for 15–20 minutes. The pudding is ready when it holds its shape briefly on the back of a spoon before flowing slowly — the consistency of a very thick crème anglaise.
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4
Remove from the heat. Stir in the ground cinnamon. If using, fold in the toasted pine nuts and currants at this point.
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5
Spoon into small cups and allow to cool until warm but not hot — the honey, anise, and cinnamon require a brief rest to integrate. The surface should be set enough to show a gentle skin.