Is fregola sarda the same as couscous?

Not quite! Though similar, unlike couscous, fregola sarda is a toasted pasta made by hand, not a machine. Fregola, also called fregula, is a small, round pasta from the island of Sardinia.

What is fregola sarda made of?

Similar to other pasta varieties from southern Italy, fregola is made with the simple ingredients of durum wheat semolina flour and water.

Fregola is a type of pasta, so though it is high in carbohydrates, it is more about how you serve it. Here we serve it with fresh vegetables and herbs, which are full of nutrients!

What does fregola taste like?

This tasty pasta has a toasty and nutty flavor with a ragged surface that catches flavorful sauces well.

Fregola with Corn, Zucchini & Basil Recipe

Name: Fregola with Corn, Zucchini and Basil
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 8 ounces Fregola pasta ( 1 1/2 cups dry); 2 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large shallot, diced; 2 medium zucchini ( 3-4 cups diced); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 6 garlic cloves, rough chopped; pinch chili flakes (or Aleppo chili flakes); 1 ear corn (2 cups, or use frozen, or frozen roasted ) see notes; ⅓ -½ cup grated pecorino cheese; 15-20 basil leaves; zest of one lemon; Optional: 1/4 cup ricotta for extra creaminess

Description

Fregola Sarda Pasta with Corn, Zucchini and Basil, sprinkled with pecorino. A fast and easy Italian-inspired meal that comes together in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Units

8 ounces Fregola pasta ( 1 1/2 cups dry)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, diced
2 medium zucchini ( 3-4 cups diced)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
pinch chili flakes (or Aleppo chili flakes)
1 ear corn (2 cups, or use frozen, or frozen roasted ) see notes
1/3 -1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
15-20 basil leaves
zest of one lemon
Optional: 1/4 cup ricotta for extra creaminess

Instructions

Cook fregola pasta in 8 cups of water with 1 tablespoon salt according to directions on the package, cook until al dente, and save a cup of hot pasta water.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and zucchini and season with salt, and saute until the zucchini is translucent about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, pepper and chili flakes and cook a few more minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the corn, and continue sauteeing, until the corn is tender, but still a little snappy, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the cooked fregola pasta to the zucchini-corn mixture, drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil, stir in the pecorino, basil and lemon zest.
Add 1/4- ¾ cup pasta water to loosen, and more if you prefer it more “saucy”.
Taste, season with more salt, or chili flakes if you like. If it tastes bland, it needs salt.
Garnish with fresh basil and a sprinkling of pecorino.
For extra richness, stir in a little ricotta. See notes.

Notes

The pecorino cheese makes this dish.

Feel free to char the corn (on a gas stove or grill) before cutting the kernels off.

This is a drier-style pasta dish just lightly coated in olive oil (kind of like couscous). For extra creaminess or a more saucy consistency, add more pasta water and stir in the ricotta.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 ¼ cup
Calories: 349
Sugar: 6.6 g
Sodium: 385 mg
Fat: 10.2 g
Saturated Fat: 2.3 g
Carbohydrates: 54.7 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 11.9 g
Cholesterol: 5.5 mg