Fregola

Close to 8 years ago, I bought a bag of fregola, cooked it up, wrote about it, and promptly forgot about it. Evidently, it didn’t make an impression on me.

A few days ago, I was reading an article about Sardinia and it mentioned fregola. Intrigued, I decided to buy some – having completely forgotten about buying it once upon a time…

Looking at the package started a niggling feeling that I had seen this stuff before – but it eluded me until I did a search on the website and found the post! There are 13 years worth of meals on this site – not counting the cookbooks – and the search function is great at jogging my memory.

The last time I made it, it was a pretty heavy dish, from what I remember – and it was in August. I guess that may be the reason I let it fade away. While the weather, today, might as well be August for the heat and humidity, the dish, itself, was much lighter.

My original plan was to just cook it up with asparagus and lemon. Really simple.And then things changed – as they are wont to do around here…

Earlier today I roasted a chicken on the grill using a vertical roaster. I’m planning salads for dinner tomorrow night and wanted some cold cooked chicken. It was a big bird. I have enough chicken for half a dozen meals.

My asparagus and lemon became clean-out-the-refrigerator – one of my favorite meals!

I had 4 ounces of paper-thin sliced pancetta that came out of the freezer. 6 or 8 tiny sweet peppers, a couple of green onions, assorted mushrooms…

Time to play!

Fregola

  • 4 oz thin-sliced pancetta
  • 4 oz assorted sweet peppers
  • 3 large scallions
  • 8 oz assorted mushrooms
  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 6 oz cooked chicken
  • 6 oz fregola
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 oz Moliterno pecorino
  • S&P

Dice pancetta. Fry in skillet until crisp. Remove and set aside.

Start cooking fregola – the dish will be done when it is cooked!

In same pan, add peppers, scallions, mushrooms, and asparagus. Saute until about half-done.

Add white wine and bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until vegetables are almost done. Stir in chicken and heat through.

Stir in butter, and then cheese.

Stir in cooked, drained fregola. Simmer 2 minutes.

Stir in reserved pancetta.

Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, desired.

This was much better this time around than it was last.

I bought a kilo, so there shall be a few more meals – and this time, I think I will remember them a bit better!

Lighter is better…