There Fregola with vegetables, also called ‘fregula’, is a vegetarian first course of Sardinian origin: easy and quick to prepare, it has a strong flavor and is very nutritious. It is a durum wheat semolina pasta which is toasted very slowly; with a golden color and a slightly biscuit flavor, this food is very similar to couscous but with a much coarser grain. Fregola is often used in soups or accompanied by legume or mushroom-based condiments; it is usually cooked with Baked vegetables or simply sautéed with meat or fish, especially molluscs and crustaceans in season. A light and healthy dish, very nutritious and good to be enjoyed even cold.

Preparation

1

Wash the vegetables thoroughly under running water. Start dividing the spring onion and zucchini into cubes on a cutting board.

2

Continue with cutting the carrots, potatoes and aubergines.

3

Take a large pot, pour the olive oil into it and let it heat over medium heat.

4

When the oil is hot, start frying the spring onion for a few minutes.

5

Now add the chopped potatoes and mix.

6

Also add the remaining vegetables: zucchini, eggplant and carrots.

7

Season the ingredients in the pot with a pinch of fine salt and black pepper; leave to cook on a moderate flame for about 15 minutes. Stir the vegetables from time to time to prevent them from burning and, if necessary, add a little water.

8

Once the vegetables are cooked, turn off the heat and flavor them with chopped basil leaves: this will give freshness to the dish.

9

In the meantime, place a pot full of salted water on the stove and, when it comes to a boil, pour the fregola inside.

10

Cook the Sardinian pasta and drain it a couple of minutes in advance of the times indicated on the package.

11

Sauté the fregola together with the vegetables in a pan for about 2 minutes. Divide it into plates and, before serving it, sprinkle it with a handful of Sardinian pecorino.

Accessories

• Chopping board
• Knife
• Large pot
• Ladle
• Cooking pan
• Colander

Tips and tricks

• For a richer version of the Fregola with vegetables try adding 20 tails of Prawns in a pan: add them 10 minutes from the end of cooking the Sardinian pasta, it will be a real treat!
• Try adding saffron pistils to the cooking of the vegetables.
• To enrich your dish, sprinkle the final dish with turmeric, curry, pepper and aromatic herbs to taste.
• The vegetables indicated in the recipe can be changed according to taste; add, for example, green beans, celery, peppers or cherry tomatoes.
• To make the dish tastier, you can add raw grated bottarga before serving the dishes.
• The Fregola with vegetables can also be cooked as a risotto: sauté the vegetables in the same pot in which you will pour the fregola which will be cooked with vegetable broth.

storage

It is advisable to keep the Fregola with vegetables in the refrigerator, inside an airtight container, for about 1/2 days.