Fregula

I recently got a letter from a friend who had bought a package of pasta called fregula and wondered what to do with it. I've never seen it in Tuscany and suggested that it was a local specialty; she replied that it was made in Cagliari and the box is labeled Fregula Sarda.

Bingo! Sarda means Sardinian; Alessandro Molinari Pradelli discusses it in La Cucina Sarda, saying it's a traditional pasta that somewhat resembles couscous but is coarser grained and a little firmer. He also notes that many households still have broad flat-bottomed wooden or glazed ceramic bowls in the kitchen for making it at home. It's good in soup, and also quite tasty served dry with a sauce.

To make it you'll need:

• Coarse Semolina (I'd start with about a pound)
• Water, very lightly salted

Put some of the semolina in the bowl and dampen it, a few drops at a time, with the water, while rubbing your hand over the semolina with a circular motion so as to obtain many tiny balls of pasta. As you add more semolina and continue to move your hand in a circular pattern the balls will become rounder and grow slightly (Laura describes what she bought as "little yellow pebbles"). Continue adding semolina and water, and rotating your hand, until you have used up your semolina. Now divide your fregula, setting the larger balls to one side and the smaller to the other; thus you'll have two grades, one that's finer and will be good in soup, and one that's coarser, and will be good served with a sauce.

To prevent your fregula from spoiling spread it over a cookie sheet and toast it for a few minutes in a moderate (250-300 F) oven.

Mr. Pradelli also notes that many cooks mix a half teaspoon of finely ground saffron into the semolina before they begin making their fregula.

A printer-friendly version of this information.

What to do with Fregula? Here are some recipes:

• Fregula in Brodo
  A simple, refreshing soup that's perfect at the end of a long day.
• Fregula al Pomodoro
  A refreshing way of serving Fregula dey, with tomato sauce.
• Fregula con le Arselle
  The Sardinian equivalent of clam chowder!
• Fregula con le Vongole
  Thicker than the above, with clams.
• Fregula e Fagioli
  A Sardinian variation on pasta e fagioli.
• Fregula con Sedano e Patate.
  A hearty, quasi-vegetarian soup.

Got more sites / recipes to suggest? Let me know!

Buon Appetito!
Kyle Phillips

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Text & photo © Kyle Phillips.