You Will Eat Your Vegetables! Fregola

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again…with pasta. Fregola, or fregula, is just another word for what children and adults like best. This Sardinian import is typically semolina dough rolled into teeny balls and toasted in the oven. It’s like the Mini Cooper of pasta – so cute your reluctant veggie eaters will dig into broccoli before they know what they’re doing.

Ingredients:

1 bag fregola available in some markets and specialty stores

Florets from small head of broccoli, small pieces

1 bell pepper any color but green, ½ pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup water or chicken stock, halved

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

Salt & pepper

1/3 cup parmesan * optional

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook ½ package or 8 ounces of fregola according to directions (10 minutes for me). Drain when done.

Meanwhile in large heavy weight skillet over low to medium heat, warm olive oil. Cook onion with a few salt pinches 5 minutes, add pepper and garlic. Cook 3-5 more. Add broccoli, stir a minute. Add ¼ cup liquid and steam 3 minutes with lid on. Add fregola, tossing. Add ¼ cup more liquid and let soak into fregola. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Sprinkle with cheese.

Eat – B

Note: Fregola is usually more expensive than your on sale pasta, BUT, it’s way less expensive than steak, fish, chicken etc.

Note 2: Add boccoccini or a vegan sub and make it a meal. Sautéed chicken works too – Season chicken filets with salt and pepper – garlic too if you prefer. Cook first, cut up and toss into pasta at the end.

Posted by Betsy