Sa Fregula 0 Comments

We mentioned it when talking about Pasta of Sardinia: Sa Fregula is certainly one of the most important representations of the Sardinian culinary tradition. It has very ancient origins. The first documents mentioning this product date back over 1000 years ago. However, if this pasta spread across the island during trade with the Phoenicians and Punics, as some scholars maintain, then it is much more ancient, given that exchanges and invasions took place between the 9th and the 3rd century BC. In fact, Sa Fregula is very similar to the grains of semolina known as couscous, which North African peoples spread throughout the Mediterranean over the centuries.

But if these were cultural and commercial "exchanges", some do not rule out that fregula is a completely Sardinian product then exported to foreign territories. It's a bit like asking which came first: the chicken or the egg... and no one will ever have the answer that has been lost over the centuries.

But luckily, the recipe for its making has not been lost. Preserved as a Sardinian Traditional Heritage, the origin of the name could derive from the Latin ferculum, "crumb". 

The preparation of fregula is a purely home-made "ritual". It is made by kneading for a long time and with quick movements the semolina flour placed on a large, bottomed terracotta container (the characteristic "scivedda") with warm water and salt through a skilful circular movement of the fingertips in a clockwise direction, practically "rubbing" it: in this way small irregular pellets of dough with a diameter varying between 2 and 6 millimetres are obtained. The small spheres are left to dry on a cloth and separated into small, medium and large ones, then toasted in the oven for about 15 minutes, when they take on the characteristic golden colour and particular flavour, making this type of pasta.

It also seems that one of the meanings of the Italian saying "having fregola" indicates being in a hurry to do something and originates precisely from the speed of the movements with which this pasta is prepared. 

In a 14th century document, the Millers’ Statute of Tempio Pausania, decreed that the fregula was to be prepared only from Monday to Friday, in order to leave the water on the weekends only for the farmers.

Its rough texture and consistency make it a perfect product for various types of sauces and preparations, which vary from area to area of ​​the island. Sardinian Sa Fregula is cooked by boiling or “risottata”, meaning cooking it as it is done with rice for risotto: add dry Sa Fregula to a heated pan and heat for two minutes. Join the meat or fish broth gradually, so that the rice starch melts, joining the sauce and becomes creamy. The most famous Sardinian recipe with this type of pasta is Fregola with clams, (Sa Fregula cun còcciula in the Cagliari area).

But at the Gabbiano Azzurro Hotel & Suites our Executive Chef Daniele Sechi prefers to cook Sa Fregula “risottata”. For this specialty he uses black Fregula, the result of a fine process at 34 degrees with a delicate vegetal charcoal powder, with refined and precious ingredients such as red prawns and very fresh burrata, drops of basil cream and confit cherry tomatoes, being without a doubt the most famous and requested dish by the guests of the Blù Restaurant.

“Koiaimi, ca sciu fai fregula” (Marry me, because I know how to prepare the fregula), is said in a Sardinian folk song.

Written by Daniela Toti