Fregula with Clams & Chilis

Fregula is a Sardinian toasted semolina pasta with a nutty, couscous-like texture, and when cooked with clams in a saffron-tinted broth, it absorbs every bit of briny, savory flavor from the pot. This dish lands somewhere between a pasta and a risotto, with the fregula soaking up the braising liquid until each little pearl is plump and creamy.

The base starts with red onion, sliced garlic, and diced prosciutto sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil until everything softens. Then the clams go in with white wine, chicken stock, saffron, and tomato sauce. The clams steam open in this fragrant broth, releasing their liquor into the pot and building layers of flavor.

Cooked fregula gets added directly to the clam pot and simmers until the texture resembles a loose risotto. That absorption is the whole point. If it looks too dry, add a splash more stock. Too soupy, let it cook a minute longer. A tablespoon of chili flakes and a shower of fresh parsley finish it off with heat and color.

Kitchen Tips

• Scrub and rinse clams thoroughly. Discard any that don’t close when tapped since they’re dead and unsafe to eat.
• Cook fregula separately first, then add to the clam pot. Cooking it directly in the broth absorbs too much liquid and leaves you with no sauce.
• Discard any clams that don’t open after cooking.
• Saffron needs liquid and heat to bloom. Adding it to the broth extracts the most color and flavor.

Variations

• Use mussels instead of clams, or a mix of both shellfish.
• Swap fregula for Israeli couscous (pearl couscous) if you can’t find fregula.
• Add a handful of cherry tomatoes alongside the tomato sauce for fresh pops of acidity.