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Fregola Sarda with a tomato, anchovy, chilli and olive sauce

by Jeanne Horak on April 25, 2012 14 Comments in Fish, Pasta & rice

FregolaSardaTomatoOliveChilli © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Many wealthy people are little more than the janitors of their possessions

– Frank Lloyd Wright

 

Stuff.  Why are we so addicted to it – acquiring it, having it, keeping it?  On my recent trip to Cape Town I visited a good friend at his house in Cape Town. It was the most calm, serene and lovely space I have been in for a very long time, all muted colour and clean lines.  I felt at peace.  I daydreamed wistfully that I would return to London and recreate this sort of space in our home… and then about a millisecond later the phrase slipped out of my mouth: “But what about all our STUFF?”.  You see, I have been a collector of stuff all my life.  It started with rocks, crystals and minerals; moved through Hello Kitty merchandise, writing paper and fancy erasers; continued through pop paraphernalia from Duran Duran, Wham! and (of course) A-ha; extended into vinyl records; and now extends to the occasional silver inkwell, props for food photos, and exotic foodstuffs. And both Nick and I have an obsession with art and posters, so our collection far exceeds the available wall space.  Oh, and we have a weakness for oriental rugs. Just…stuff, you know??

But on another day during our holiday, I also spent time at my late parents’ house.  All the things in the house were the things that I grew up surrounded by – from the furniture to the art to the crockery (Arabia Ruska, no less!).  And I guess because I was surrounded by them every day, I did not really see them while I lived there.  It’s only now that I no longer live there and that my parents are both gone that it is dawning on me just how much STUFF they had, and how much that stuff had come to define who they were.  My father was probably worse than my mother – he refused to throw out anything.  After his death, I discovered every suitcase my family had ever owned stashed away in various cupboards, down to the ones they took to Thailand and Iran when I was a baby, covered in beautiful tags and stickers from airlines, hotels and cruise ships from another age. It was kind of like discovering a carbon dating system for our family holidays. My father’s cupboards were full of vintage silk cravats collected on many trips abroad – and yet I am struggling to remember when last I actually saw him wearing one.  But when we suggested that they might want to downsize, one of the arguments was always “but what will we do with all our stuff?”.

So to accommodate the stuff and maintain their image of themselves, they kept the house when it really was no longer a practical or safe choice for them.  My father had to build ramps and winches to get my mother up the numerous small steps in the house when she was confined to a wheelchair; and the broken hip that eventually led to his own death was the result of a fall down one of these many steps as he ran for the telephone. I often wonder whether, in the end, he ever saw clearly that his self-appointed role as curator of his stuff led him to his final hospital stay? I somehow doubt it.  But I am pretty sure that he did not at the final moment cry out: “If only I’d acquired more stuff in my life!”. I doubt anybody ever does.

 

FregolaSardaCollage

 

And so I came back from our holiday with a renewed sense of the futility of stuff, and a fervent gleam in my eye as I talked about using up the exotic ingredients we have hiding in cupboards in our kitchen!  One of the things that the lovely Virginia from The Good Fork sent me to try earlier this year was a packet of fregola Sarda (currently available in their Italian Islands box) and it was this that my eye alighted on earlier this week, as the reality of the non-arrival of Spring had set in and I felt in need of a bowl of comfort food. Fregola (or fregula) is a traditional Sardinian pasta, presumably of Moorish origins, made from hard durum wheat, and resembles giant Israeli cous cous. The pasta dough is rolled into tiny, nearly-round balls and toasted lightly, giving it a golden colour and a nutty flavour.  It also has a slightly rough texture, like a cat’s tongue, which means that creamy sauces will stick to it really well.   It’s a versatile ingredient that can be used in any recipe where you would use small pasta, as well as in recipes calling for cous-cous. It’s great when cooked like a risotto, or cold in a salad – or even just as a side dish for grilled meat or fish.

 

FregolaSpoon

 

I had originally planned to prepare the fregola in a traditional Sardinian dish, topped with steamed clams in a tomato-based sauce; but alas, no clams were to be found when I went shopping.  So instead I went for puttanesca-inspired sauce that would be warming and hearty to go with the chilly weather we are having here in London.  The recipe is super-simple to make and as the ingredients are all pretty strongly-flavoured it needs very little seasoning or tweaking. The fregola really is nutty and delicious and I am thrilled that I still have half a packet left so that I can make it into a salad when the weather warms up – I am thinking the nuttiness will work well with mushrooms.  Don’t be alarmed if you do not like anchovies – the anchovies literally “melt” into the sauce, leaving only their umami-rich flavour behind.

DISCLOSURE: The Fregola Sarda used in this recipe was a free sample sent to me by The Good Fork.

 

FregolaFinal
 

FREGOLA SARDA WITH TOMATO, ANCHOVY, CHILLI & OLIVE SAUCE (serves 2 hungry people)

Ingredients:

200g uncooked fregoloa Sarda (or substitue other pasta)
2 litres water
2 tsp salt
one medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
pinch of chilli flakes (more if you like it spicy!)
200g chopped tinned tomatoes (more if you want a soupier sauce)
1 small tin of anchovies
100g sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
100g good quality olives (I used Sicilian Paterna cracked green olives)
black pepper

Method:

Slowly bring the water to boil in a large pot.  Once it is boiling rapidly, add the pasta and salt – turn up the heat if necessary to achieve a nice rolling boil.  Cook for about 15 minutes or until al dente.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the chilli flakes, onions and garlic and sautee over low heat, adding a little water whenever the pan dries out.  Cook for 10-15 mins until the onions are very soft, then add the drained anchovies and stir until they “melt” into the onions and garlic.  Add the chopped tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and olives and heat through.

When the pasta is cooked, drain in a colander and spoon into bowls.  Divide the pasta and the sauce equally between the bowls and serve with a robust Italian red wine and a green salad.

Notes:

The sauce would also make a great topping for crostini, if you have any left.

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  1. Ailbhe says

    April 26, 2012 at 7:21 am

    Haha spooky, I have a draft in waiting about ‘stuff’. Lord knows how I’ve acquired so much stuff but at the moment it’s driving me mad and a good Spring clean out is needed. we just need bigger homes Jeanne, then again I’d probably manage to add more stuff. The irony is I don’t think of myself as a ‘stuff’ person.
    Lovely pics as always and I like the sound of fregola, must try 🙂

    Reply
  2. Krista says

    April 26, 2012 at 7:35 am

    Such interesting thoughts, Jeanne. When my life went topsy-turvy last year and I had to go into hiding and friends packed all my stuff and put it in storage, it put things into a very unique perspective. Suddenly the beautiful things I had meant very little in light of my safety. When it was time to move and start over I realized I couldn’t afford to ship my things and had to get rid of 90% of my belongings. I admit I cried. It’s amazing the emotional attachment we have to things. But once they were gone and I boarded the plane with only two suitcases and my carry-on, I felt free. Light. Hopeful. Everything was going to be OK. I love this dish. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Firefly says

    April 26, 2012 at 7:43 am

    I also tend to collect stuff and then feel very sorry to get rid of it in the end.
    I’ve never heard of Fregola Sarda. Will have to browse through a couple of deli’s

    Reply
  4. Móna Wise says

    April 26, 2012 at 8:12 am

    I used to have ‘stuff’ but with all the moving around we have eliminated a lot of it and it is liberating. But the kids are now filling my space with their stuff….so I can’t get away from it. The past looks delicious Jeanne and we are experiencing the same chill here in Galway!

    Reply
  5. Barbara says

    April 26, 2012 at 8:24 am

    Caught in the act and guilty! I love the quote and hope it will stick for a little while …
    Wonderful sauce recipe, thanks for sharing and looking forward to Somerset!

    Reply
  6. thetobykennedy says

    April 26, 2012 at 9:19 am

    I love this Jeannie-Jeannie-kins! It completely falls in with the Italian way of thinking – you don’t throw things away if they’re not broken, but at the same time you make things last.
    Which is why their food, and the way I’ve come to think about cooking, is so wonderful. I look at one courgette now and see a meal for two, instead of just another ingredient. I feel it’s important, and ties in with the ‘eat seasonally/locally’ movement.
    It’s exciting to have access to all manner of exotic ingredients, but for me the challenge is to find interesting and exciting ways of using what’s around me – and not pay for all that importing 😉
    Toby. xx
    PS: Although traditionally Sardinian, it’s nice to see this pasta was made in Abruzzo near my house! 😉 x

    Reply
  7. Jamie says

    April 26, 2012 at 9:38 am

    You write this just as we decide to buy an apartment exactly half the size of either apartment or home we’ve lived in for 15 years and I don’t know what we will do with our stuff! I am loathe to part with much of it, especially as my mother has gotten rid of every single item that holds any kind of memory or family history in my childhood home and as my brother’s belongings were all gotten rid of before I knew it. Your aptly put “carbon dating system” indicates that much of it is much more than just “stuff” – it is memories, family history, childhood… see how I feel about stuff? I love those tiny pastas and the dish is fabulous and comforting all at once.

    Reply
  8. Rosa says

    April 26, 2012 at 10:00 am

    I’ve never had fregola sarda, but I’m sure I’d love this pasta… A wonderful dish! Scrumptious.
    Cheers,
    Rosa

    Reply
  9. Eggs on the Roof says

    April 26, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    Fregola – stuff that’s new to me and so worth collecting. As to all the other ‘stuff’, I couldn’t agree more. Except that, like your family, I have huge wrestling matches with myself about giving anything away. One of life’s many conundrums really. I’ll calm myself from my anxious thoughts about life’s encumbrances and think about the deliciousness of your recipe instead!

    Reply
  10. Joan Nova says

    April 26, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    What a wonderful post! A meaningful narrative, a lovely dish and a new product (fregola) which I will be on the lookout for. All in all, a very worthwhile visit. Thanks.

    Reply
  11. Kit says

    April 26, 2012 at 3:40 pm

    I felt an immediate impulse to go and de-clutter – a swamp of stuff is constantly threatening to take over here and a lot of it is neither beautiful nor useful sigh!
    I never came across fregola in Italy, guess it’s very much local to Sardinia and I only went there once – memories of seafood risotto and seafood thick soups and stews but no fregola!
    Like the sound of your flavours -the best sort of de-cluttering!

    Reply
  12. Lynn says

    April 26, 2012 at 5:52 pm

    This is funny! Reminds me of coming home from work one day, opening the garage and finding it filled to the brim with junk! Or should I say stuff from the hubby’s mom that she couldn’t part with so he said he’d store it. My chin dropped as the rain ran down my face, glasses fogging up from the humid Chicago summer weather.
    But let’s get back to the food. This is soooo up my alley Jeannie. Perfect for a rainy Sacramento day. But I’ll have to go find some fegola 😉

    Reply
  13. Sara{OneTribeGourmet} says

    April 29, 2012 at 4:39 am

    Great post! I am trying my best not to collect “stuff” it’s a disease.
    I have never made fregola sarda pasta, I’m definitely going try it now!

    Reply
  14. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says

    April 30, 2012 at 12:43 pm

    Ha! This made me think of my mother and her need to keep stuff “just in case”. You know for that unforeseen future event that will require it. I helped her get rid of much of that stuff when she sold the house and to this day she’ll find a way to bring up things that could have been useful had she kept it!

    Reply
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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

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This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.