Fregola con Arselle
Fregola con Arselle (clams) is the quintessential seafaring dish of Cagliari: fregola (toasted semolina pasta with irregular grains) cooked in a clam broth with cherry tomatoes and saffron. A dish that beautifully unites the sea and Sardinian land.
The most prized arselle in Sardinia are fished from the Santa Gilla Lagoon.
Preparation
- 1
Purge the arselle in salted water for 2 hours.
- 2
Open the arselle in a pan with garlic and white wine. Strain the liquid and shell half of them.
- 3
In a saucepan, sauté garlic and red chili pepper. Add cherry tomatoes and saffron.
- 4
Add the fregola and the filtered clam liquid.
- 5
Cook the fregola in the broth for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 6
At the end of cooking, add the arselle and parsley.
Chef's Tips
Toasted fregola has a unique hazelnut flavor. Sardinian saffron is the most prized in the world. The arselle must be very fresh and thoroughly purged.