How to Make Fregola Risottata with Clams and Chickpeas at Home

Fregola Risottata with Clams and Chickpeas is a conventional Sardinian marriage of land and sea. Rich and enjoyable, with chewy toasted pasta pearls, briny clams, and nutty chickpeas, this dish sums up Italian meals inside the most genuine way viable. The “risottata”-cooked fregola enhances its texture, allowing it to absorb all the wealthy broth and ocean flavor. If you need to make a comforting, but elegant meal and enjoy the essence of Mediterranean cuisine, this is your recipe.

What Is Fregola Risottata?

Fregola (or Fregula) is a conventional Sardinian pasta crafted from semolina dough that’s rolled into tiny beads, toasted, and dried. The toasting process gives it a barely nutty, earthy flavor — somewhat like couscous but with more texture.

Risottata method cooking fregola within the style of risotto — slowly, with the aid of step by step adding broth and stirring often till the liquid is absorbed. The result is a creamy, hearty dish that includes all of the richness of risotto but with the super texture of fregola. When combined with clams and chickpeas, the dish will become a Sardinian seafood stew, complete of Mediterranean soul.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil (80ml)
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• Salt flakes, to taste
• 1kg vongole or other clams (2lb 3oz)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary leaves
• ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes, more or less to taste
• 400g canned Italian tomatoes, crushed (14oz)
• 4 cups water (1 litre/2 pints)
• 350g fregola (12⅓oz)
• 400g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained (14oz)
• 2 tablespoons finely sliced flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely sliced oregano leaves

Method

1. Place oil, onion, celery and 2 teaspoons of salt flakes in a big saucepan or high-sided frying pan over medium warmness.
2. Cover and cook for 15–20 mins, stirring every so often, till starting to shade.
3. Add clams, cover, and cook over a excessive warmness for a couple of minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, till they start to open.
4. Use tongs to dispose of each shell as it open and region in a large bowl.
5. Cover the pan for any other minute or so if vital to open any remaining shells then, if any nevertheless remain closed, pry them open over the sink with a blunt knife; if they odor good, upload them to the others, if now not, discard them. Set aside.
6. Reduce warmth to medium, upload garlic, rosemary and chilli and prepare dinner for a couple of minutes, till aromatic.
7. Add tomato, carry to the boil then reduce heat to low–medium, and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring often, until saucy. Stir in water, flavor and upload greater salt if vital. Bring to the boil.
8. Add fregola, reduce warmness to medium–excessive and stir for approximately 15 minutes, until it’s al dente, adjusting the heat as necessary so that it’s simply bubbling.
9. Stir in chickpeas, parsley, oregano and clams, dispose of from heat, cover and set apart for 3– 4 mins, till heated thru.
10. Taste and upload extra salt if vital and a bit boiling water if you’d like a soupier consistency. Serve in shallow bowls.

Chef’s Tips for Success

• Use clean clams for the exceptional flavor — canned ones won’t provide the same herbal brininess.
• Keep the broth warm at some point of cooking, similar to risotto, for even texture.
• Don’t rush the manner — fregola desires time to absorb liquid slowly for that perfect creamy consistency.
• Add butter or olive oil on the quit for a glossy, silky finish.
• Pair with white wine such as Vermentino or Pinot Grigio to supplement the seafood taste.

Flavor Profile

This dish represents just the right mix of savory, nutty, and tangy flavors:

• The fregola gives a hearty texture and a toasty undertone.
• The clams add brininess and depth from the ocean.
• The chickpeas add a creamy, earthy base that works simply right with the seafood.
• The lemon and parsley end brighten the dish, balancing its stewed richness.

It’s rustic yet elegant — the form of dish that tastes find it irresistible got here immediately from a seaside trattoria in Sardinia.

Conclusion

Fregola Risottata with Clams and Chickpeas is a party of Sardinian coastal flavors — simple elements transformed into something high-quality. The mixture of chewy toasted pasta, creamy chickpeas, and briny clams creates a dish that’s rustic, comforting, and complete of individual.

Making it at home may additionally sound fancy, however it’s relatively smooth and surprisingly worthwhile. Each spoonful carries the essence of the Mediterranean — warm, brilliant, and complete of existence. Serve it to impress your guests or treat yourself to an genuine Italian coastal feast at domestic.