Un sapore di Sardegna – Zuppa con spinaci, ceci e fregola

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I bought Fregola at some Italian grocery store recently. Fregola is a typical Sardinian pasta, it’s quite an interesting pasta due to its specific rough, porous texture, which allows the absorption of many sauces therefore gives Fregola a very specific and particular flavor. Fregola is somehow the Sardinian version of couscous. It’s made with a mixture of semolina and water and has been dried out in the oven, that’s where its golden brown color comes from. It’s delicious in soups, in sauces. I substituted Fregola to rice in this recipe and I really liked the result.

In Sardinia, it’s often served with bottarga which is called mullet-roe in English and you can find it in many Sardinian restaurants.

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Ingredients for 4

  • 250 g fresh spinach (1/2 lb)
  • 1 1/2 leeks, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 2/3 cup celeri, diced
  • 2/3 cup chick peas
  • 2/3 cup Fregola
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 4 tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Preparation

Wash the spinach and chop them. Dice all the vegetables. In a pot heat 3 tbs olive oil, add onion and let cook until the onions are translucent. Add 1 clove garlic crushed. Stir for a few seconds to get the flavor out, then add the chopped vegetables and the spinach. Add the chick peas, cook and stir for 2 to 3 min, add the broth, cook for about 30 minutes, then add Fregola. Add salt and pepper. Cook for another 15 minutes or until Fregola is cooked. Serve with sprinkled olive oil and black pepper. You can add parmiggiano at the end if desired.