Ahhh ... how much I love the fregola!
Do you know it? It is a traditional pasta from the Sardinia region (in Italy), which is usually served with fish but I have rethought here in a vegan way.
As small as a Palestinian couscous and with a slightly toasted scent, it is an ingredient that, since I discovered it, returns cyclically to my table in every season.
Here I propose it with a very spring asparagus sauce, made even more gritty by a splash of Gochugaru, Korean chilli pepper, fresh mint leaves and some pumpkin seeds.
Ingredients for 4
320 of toasted fregola
10 green asparagus
2 spring onions
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds
1/2 of gochugaru
10 fresh mint leaves
extra virgin olive oil, salt
Method
Bring a pot of water to the boil. When it boils, add salt and boil the fregola for 8 minutes.
In the meantime, wash the spring onions and cut them into thin slices. Mash the garlic, peel it and mince it. Wash the asparagus and also cut into thin slices. Keep the tips aside and fry the onions, garlic and asparagus in a wok with a little extra virgin olive oil. Cooking should be fast, from 5'agli 8 'at most and during the last minute add the asparagus tips, 6 mint leaves, the Korean pepper and lightly salt.
Aside, dry the pumpkin seeds in a small non-stick pan. When it is ready, add the fregola and mix well. Serve with the remaining mint as decoration and the pumpkin seeds.
The dish is good both hot and cold, depending on the context. It can be a particular first course for daily cooking or one of the elements to be included in a buffet for an aperitif.
