Smoky Clams And Fregola Food

FREGOLA WITH CLAMS AND MUSSELS

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, water, and 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• While the pasta is cooking: Heat 1/4 cup of the oil, over medium-high heat, in a large Dutch oven. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the Marsala wine and grape tomatoes, and cook for 1 minute, scraping the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the clams and mussels to the pan. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until all the shellfish have opened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened shellfish.
• Using tongs, remove the shellfish from the pan and reserve. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl. Pour the shellfish cooking liquid over the fregola. Add the remaining olive oil and 1/4 cup of the parsley and toss. Place the reserved shellfish on top of the fregola and garnish with the remaining parsley.

CLAM AND FREGOLA SOUP

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion and chili pepper, and cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Raise heat to high, and add the steamers, 1 cup water and the wine. Cover pot, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until clams begin to open.
• Use tongs to remove clams, leaving as much juice as possible in the pot. Add fregola and tomatoes and their juice to the pot, reduce heat to simmer, and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cover pot, and simmer 20 minutes, checking occasionally to be sure that not all the liquid has evaporated. If necessary to maintain soupy consistency, add water or bottled clam juice, a quarter cup at a time. After 20 minutes, remove lid and continue to simmer until fregola is tender.
• Meanwhile, pick the meat from the clams and discard the shells. When fregola is tender, stir in the clam meat as well as additional bottled clam juice, if necessary, and serve immediately, garnished with parsley.

SPICY CALAMARI WITH FREGOLA

Steps:

• Spread the calamari on a baking sheet and pat dry as best you can with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, wide skillet over high heat. Add calamari and quickly stir-fry, cooking for only 1 minute, until puffed. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
• Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add crushed red pepper, anchovy and garlic and let sizzle, then add onions and stir well.
• Season onions generously and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened and faintly colored. Add saffron and wine and simmer for 1 minute, then add tomato and broth. Adjust heat so sauce simmers gently for about 10 minutes, until flavors are well mingled. Taste for salt and hot pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Add fregola and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
• Add par-cooked calamari to the sauce over high heat. Add basil leaves and stir well until everything is heated through and calamari are completely cooked, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and fold in cooked fregola. Sprinkle with oregano, add a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and serve.

TOASTED PASTA "FREGOLA" WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• Drop the pasta slowly in to the boiling broth/water, mix and cook for 6-8 minutes. At the same time, in another saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the garlic. Cook just till slightly softened, add the chili flakes, then add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Cook clams in another pan with a drop of oil until they open and add them to the tomato sauce. Add the clams and fregola to the tomato sauce. Add the parsley and salt to taste. Serve hot.