🇮🇹 Italian · Pasta
🦪 Fregola con Arselle
Fregula cun Arrescottu
Sardinia's toasted, pearl-like semolina pasta simmered in a light tomato-and-wine broth with small clams, producing a dish that sits somewhere between a pasta and a brothy seafood stew.
Fregola is made by rubbing semolina and water together into small irregular pellets, then toasting them in the oven until golden and lightly nutty, a process that gives the pasta a distinctive flavor unlike any other pasta shape in Italy.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large bowl for purging clams, Large pot with lid, Wide sauté pan
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) small clams (arselle or vongole), purged of sand
- 300 g (1½ cups) fregola (or substitute Israeli couscous if unavailable)
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 small dried chili, crumbled
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine
- 300 g (10.5 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Soak the clams in cold, well-salted water for at least 1 hour to purge any sand, changing the water once or twice.
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the garlic and chili until fragrant.
- Add the clams and wine, cover, and cook over high heat until the clams open, about 4–5 minutes; discard any that stay closed.
- Remove the clams with a slotted spoon and set aside, straining and reserving the cooking liquid.
- In the same pot, add the cherry tomatoes and cook briefly until they begin to soften.
- Add the fregola along with the reserved clam liquid and enough water to cover generously, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the fregola is tender, about 12–15 minutes, adding more water if needed.
- Return the clams to the pot in the final couple of minutes to warm through.
- Stir in the parsley, season to taste, and serve immediately in shallow bowls.
Chef Tips
- Purging the clams properly is essential — gritty sand ruins an otherwise excellent dish.
- Toasted fregola should have some bite remaining, similar to al dente pasta or risotto.
- Keep some fregola loose and brothy rather than fully absorbed — this dish should be a little soupy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the clam-purging step, resulting in a gritty final dish.
- Overcooking the fregola until it turns mushy rather than retaining a pleasant bite.
- Discarding the clam cooking liquid, which carries much of the dish's briny flavor.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Clams are an excellent source of iron, vitamin B12, and lean protein.
- A relatively light dish given its seafood base and modest use of oil.
Cultural Note
Fregola is one of Sardinia's most distinctive culinary exports, and its pairing with local shellfish reflects the island's long coastline and deep-rooted fishing traditions.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Best eaten fresh the day it's made; seafood dishes do not keep or reheat particularly well.
Reheating: Gently on the stovetop with a splash of water, taking care not to overcook the clams further.
Serve with: Crusty bread, A chilled Vermentino di Sardegna