Shrimp and Peas With Fregola: Spilled Milk #324

If this Sardinia-inspired recipe doesn't scream springtime, I don't know what does! I'm getting into: why fregola stays under the radar, what makes it a perfect weeknight ingredient and more.

Since we are celebrating the Italian islands this week, especially Sardinia, I wanted to make my family’s favorite weeknight meal, fregola with shrimp and peas. The prep takes about 20-25 minutes, and the cook time takes about the same, but some of the prep is done during the cook time, so I consider this an easy meal that perfectly encapsulates the stunning flavors of spring in the Italian isles.

Fregola is a rustic Sardinian pasta that I obsess over, the island’s unsung culinary hero. This ancient pasta dates back well over 1,000 years, and its creation is inspired by North African couscous that arrived in Sardinia through trade and conquest. It’s made from semolina dough rolled into teeny, pebble-sized spheres and toasted to a rich golden brown as it dries. That process gives fregola a nutty depth and a pleasing chew that makes it ideal for absorbing bold, briny flavors like this week’s recipe. It is a natural match for Sardinia’s abundant seafood. Think: clams, mussels, vegetable purees and rich tomato broths.

Photo: Cala Luna beach in Sardinia

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