Fregola Sarda, the Perfect Lunchy Brunch Dish Recipe (Pasta)

Fregola Sarda, the Perfect Lunchy Brunch Dish Recipe (Pasta)

Serves: 6 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Fregola Sarda, the Perfect Lunchy Brunch Dish Recipe (Pasta)

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • Fine-grain sea salt
  • 1 1/4 cups fregola (or orzo, Israeli couscous)
  • 1/4 cup / 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup / 45g capers, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 or 3 medium endives, cored & cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
  • 1/2 cup / 15g torn fresh basil
  • 1/3 cup / 45g chopped toasted hazelnuts
  • Optional: a sprinkling of dried currants

Instructions

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If you like to experiment with pasta and you’re tired of the common variants like spaghetti, macaroni and the common meal options like: mac and cheese, lasagna etc., Fregola Sarda is a meal adventure to embark on. Fregola Sarda is a tasty Sardinian pasta, with a nutty flavor and a rough texture made from durum wheat flour, processed into pasta in different shades of brown and yellow. The Fregola Sarda is a great option for fun lunches, picnic meal options or dinner palettes. This dish is so diverse; it can also function as a salad, if you toss in your favorite veggies and a great salad dressing. This pasta is so good, the scintillating aroma is definitely going to make your neighbors come knocking. So let’s get started! Remember, you’re the chef and whatever you want to eat your Fregalo Sarda pasta with; it’s your kitchen, your rules.

  1. Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by 1/2 inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly 10 minutes.
  2. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking, place them in the ice bath for 3 minutes or so--long enough to stop the cooking. Peel, grate on a box grater, toss with a couple pinches of salt, and set aside.
  3. Bring at least 8 cups of water to a boil, salt the water generously, add the fregola, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, rinse lightly with cold water, and shake off as much residual moisture as possible.
  4. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the capers and garlic and cook until the capers burst and start to brown. Remove from the heat, discard the garlic, and stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  5. To serve, transfer the fregola to a large bowl or platter. Pour the contents of the skillet on top of the pasta and give it a good toss. Add the zest from the lemon and about 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice -- a good, generous squeeze.
  6. Add the endives, basil, and most of the hazelnuts and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning before finishing with the grated eggs, remaining hazelnuts, and currants.