Il Cucinologo
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Fregola with Vegetables and Gorgonzola

17/11/2023

Fregola with vegetables and gorgonzola is a dish that combines the intense and creamy flavors of the cheese with a medley of fresh vegetables. Fregola is a type of pasta typical of Sardinia that lends itself wonderfully to this type of preparation.

Ingredients

  • 200 g Sardinian fregola
  • 100 g sweet gorgonzola
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Vegetable broth as needed (sufficient quantity to cook the fregola)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • A bunch of fresh parsley (optional)
  • Grated Parmesan for garnish (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by washing and cutting the vegetables into small dice. Sauté the finely chopped onion in a pan with the extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent.

  2. Add the carrot and bell pepper, and after about 5 minutes add the zucchini as well. Let the vegetables soften slightly.

  3. Meanwhile, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot.

  4. Add the fregola to the pan with the vegetables and toast for a minute, stirring. Then begin adding the hot broth a little at a time, as for a risotto, allowing the fregola to absorb the liquid before adding more broth.

  5. While the fregola cooks, cut the gorgonzola into cubes.

  6. When cooking is nearly complete and the fregola is still slightly al dente, add the gorgonzola and stir until it has completely melted and blended with the mixture, creating a cream.

  7. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

  8. Serve immediately, garnished with a bunch of chopped parsley and, if desired, a dusting of Parmesan.

If you wish to add an extra Italian touch, you could enrich the dish with some fresh cherry tomatoes cut in half and sautéed with the other vegetables, for a contrast of flavors and a lively touch of color.

Trivia

Fregola, typical of Sardinian culinary tradition, is made by kneading durum wheat semolina with water and then toasting the resulting grains to impart a unique flavor and particular texture. Originally it was cooked in broth and seasoned with simple ingredients, but over time it has become the star of more elaborate recipes like this one.