A typical dish from Sardinia made with “arselle”, similar to the clams cooked in a tasty tomato sauce, garlic, white wine, fresh parsley. Essential is the slow cooking in which the fregola has time to become soft and cook together with the clams.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 250g Sardinian Fregola
• 800g Arselle or Clams
• 150g Peeled chopped tomatoes
• 2 Garlic cloves
• Extra Virgin olive oil to taste
• A small cup of White wine
• Fine Sea Salt to taste
• Fresh Parsley

Directions:

Start from the cleaning of the clams. To purge clams of sand, fill up a large bowl with a mix of cold water and sea salt and soak for 20 minutes to an hour. Discard open or broken clams. Rinse the clams with cool water.

Sauté one chopped garlic, add the clams and white wine and cover with a lid. You will know they are ready when the shells open up and you can see the clam meat.

Filter the clam water with a strainer. Use only open clams. Shell half of them, and leave the other with the shell for the decoration. Set aside clams and their liquid.

Sauté one chopped garlic and add tomatoes and salt. Cook for few minutes and then add the fregola.

Mix and add the clams liquid. If the liquid is not enough, add warm water or vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper, then mix

When the fregola is almost cooked, add the clams and stir.

Finally, turn off the fire and add the chopped parsley.

Suggested pairing: Il Capriccio della Marchesa – 100% Fiano

Buon appetito!