Grilled Zucchini, Burrata & Fregola

This dish is from Simple by Diana Henry, she is quickly becoming one of my favs. This dish is simple but rich tasting. You can get fregola in fancy shops or on Amazon.

4 Zucchinis, sliced 1/4 thick
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
6 oz fregola pasta
7 oz burrata, torn
1 1/2 oz pecorino, shaved
1 bunch of basil, leave torn
1 lemon, juiced

Cook the pasta according to the package. 

Cook the Zucchini in a little olive oil over medium heat until golden on each side. You may needs to cook in batches.

Toss the fregola with 2 tbsp olive oil, zuks, burrata, pecorino, basil and lemon juice.

Serves 4.

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Fregola and Artichoke Pilaf

  
Another wonderful dish from Ottolenghi!! The pepper sauce make it!

Ingredients:
16 oz artichike hearts, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, sliced thin
4 tsp butter
9 oz fregola, rinsed
2 1/2 c vegetable broth
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 c kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 c sliced toasted almonds
1/3 c flat leaf paraley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Green Chili Sauce
4 oz chopped canned green chiles
1 clove garlic
1 small preservered lemon
1 TBSP lemon juice
3 TBSP olive oil
1 c flat leaf parsely

To make sauce; combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine.

In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat, add onions and 3/4 tsp salt, cook until carmelized about 10 minutes. Add butter and stir in artichoke, fregola, stock and pepper. Stir once, cover and cook over low heat for 18 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and leave to sit for 10 minutes with lid on. Stir in vinegar, olives, almonds and stir. 

Serve with a generous spoonful of sauce.

Serves 4.

Fragola and Artichoke Pilaf

  
This is from Plenty More by Ottolenghi – and just like every other recipe of his, it is perfect. It is  great weeknight meal – it took me about 40 minutes and a lot of it unattended. You can buy fregola at Amazon.

Ingredients:
9 – 10 oz canned artichokes, chopped
1 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 TBSP butter
8 oz fregola, rinsed
2 c vegetable stock
1 1/2 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/2 c kalamata olives
1/2 c sliced, toasted almonds
1/2 c parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Green Chile Sauce
3 green chiles, seeded
1 clove pf garlic
1 small preserved lemon, seeds removed
1 TBSP lemon juice
3 TBSP olive oil
1 c flat leaf parelsy

In a food processor, add all sauce ingredients and pulse until it forms a rough paste.

Place oil in a large sauce pan on medium high heat. Add onions and 3/4 tsp salt, cook for 10 minutes with the lid on, stirring frequently until carmelized. Add butter and stir until melts. Add the artichokes, fregola, stock and pepper, stir once. Cook over low heat for 18 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. 

Remove from heat, let sit covered for 10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve with a generous spoonful of child sauce.

Serves 4.

Fregola with Herbs and Grilled Corn

  

This is the perfect salad for a picnic or BBQ, the herbs compliment the smoky corn perfectly.

Ingredients
1 c walnuts, toasted
1 c fregola or Israeli couscous
Salt
4 ears of corn, husked
2 TBSP plus ¼ c olive oil
Pepper
7 oz Halloumi cheese, sliced lengthwise ¾-inch thick
3 scallions, thinly sliced
½ c coarsely chopped fresh parsley
¼ c basil leaves
¼ c mint leaves
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP white wine vinegar

Cook fregola in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain (do not rinse) and spread out on a baking sheet to let cool.

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Rub corn with 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let cool.

Meanwhile, brush cheese with 1 Tbsp. oil and grill, turning once, until lightly charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to platter with corn; let cool.

Cut kernels from cobs and place in a large bowl. Add scallions, parsley, basil, mint, walnuts, and fregola. Using your hands, tear Halloumi into bite-size pieces; add to bowl and toss to combine. Add lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining ¼ c oil. Toss to coat; season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.

Serves 8.

Fregola with Green Peas, Mint & Ricotta

 This recipe was inspired by Bon Appetite to which I made a few minor changes. The mint really makes the dish special. If you don’t have fresh peas, frozen are fine. You can buy Fregola on Amazon, or swap in another small pasta.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 c Fregola
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 4 oz pancetta, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 c dry white wine
• 2 1/2 c chicken broth
• Pepper
• 2 TBDP mint, chopped
• 4 oz ricotta

Cook fregola in a large pot of boiling salted water until very al dente, 6–8 minutes. Drain pasta (do not rinse), reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium and cook bacon, stirring often, until bacon is brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add wine, bring to a simmer, and cook until skillet is almost dry, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Add fregola and cook, stirring often, until pasta is just al dente and broth is thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add peas and chopped mint and cook, stirring, until peas are warmed through, about 2 minutes. Add pasta cooking liquid as needed to adjust consistency.

Serve topped with ricotta, mint, and cracked pepper and drizzled with oil.

Serves 4.

Lamb and Summer Pasta Salad

“A Change of Appetite” by Diana Henry is amazing so far. This lamb recipe is nice and spicy, if you don’t have Fregola you can use Israeli Couscous.

For lamb:
1 rack of lamb, separated
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice
2 sprigs of oregano, chopped
4 TBSP red chili pepper flakes

Combine in a shallow dish or bag and marinade for a few hours.

Salad:
1 c Fregola, cooked and drained
1/4 c olive oil
1 1/2 TBSP lemon juice
Salt and pepper
4 shallots, sliced thin and sautéed until brown in a little olive oil
6 oz cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 c chopped mint
3 TBSP chopped parsley

Combine all salad ingredients and chill.

Heat grill on high. Remove lamb from marinade and cook 1 – 2 minutes per side until cooked through.

Serves 4.