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Fregola ai frutti di mare

17/11/2023

Fregola with seafood is a typical dish of Sardinian cuisine that combines the scents of the sea with the unique texture of this semolina pasta, similar to couscous but toasted. Here is how to prepare this delicious recipe.

Ingredients

  • 350 g of Sardinian fregola
  • 500 g of mixed seafood (such as mussels, clams, squid, shrimps)
  • 200 g of cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 glass of white wine
  • Chopped fresh parsley to taste
  • Fish stock to taste (or water if not available)
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Clean all the seafood thoroughly. For clams and mussels, remember to let them purge in salted cold water for about an hour, then rinse them under running water and remove any encrustations or beards. Clean the squids by removing the insides and the outer skin, then cut them into rings. Shrimp, if not already cleaned, should be shelled and, if desired, deveined.

  2. In a large pan, sauté the garlic cloves with extra virgin olive oil, making sure not to burn them. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and let them cook until they begin to break down.

  3. Add the seafood to the pan and let it sauté for a few minutes. Deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.

  4. In the meantime, bring the fish stock to a boil. If you don’t have stock available, you can use salted water.

  5. Add the fregola to the pan with the seafood and begin to moisten with the hot fish stock, one ladle at a time, as if you were preparing risotto. Let the fregola cook, adding stock each time it dries out, for about 18 minutes or until the fregola is al dente.

  6. Once the fregola is cooked, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

  7. Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving, to allow the fregola to absorb all the flavors.

Curiosity

Sardinian fregola is a traditional pasta that is produced by rolling semolina in the hands to obtain small balls, which are then toasted in the oven. Its unique flavor pairs perfectly with the intense taste of seafood and together they create a rich and flavorful dish that brings with it the tastes and scents of the Mediterranean.