| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 15 min |
| Prep: | 5 min |
| Cook: | 10 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 pound (3 1/4 cups) fregola pasta
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 cup dry Marsala wine or dry sherry
- 1 cup (about 6 ounces) grape or cherry tomatoes
- 12 little neck clams, cleaned
- 12 mussels, cleaned
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, water, and 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- While the pasta is cooking: Heat 1/4 cup of the oil, over medium-high heat, in a large Dutch oven. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the Marsala wine and grape tomatoes, and cook for 1 minute, scraping the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the clams and mussels to the pan. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until all the shellfish have opened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened shellfish.
- Using tongs, remove the shellfish from the pan and reserve. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl. Pour the shellfish cooking liquid over the fregola. Add the remaining olive oil and 1/4 cup of the parsley and toss. Place the reserved shellfish on top of the fregola and garnish with the remaining parsley.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 566 |
| Total Fat | 19 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 68 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 22 g |
| Cholesterol | 21 mg |
| Sodium | 1122 mg |
Reviews
Love this recipe though I didn’t follow it exactly. I did order the Fregola from Amazon rather than search for it in local markets (good call, it was here in a couple days). Then I made it with canned clams because we didn’t have a ready source for fresh clams. I used the clam broth in the can and the clams. Our local market also had some grape tomatoes that were multicolored. They added a nice touch as the final dish was very attractive. I really doubt that it would have been any better with fresh clams. The canned clams worked great. This recipe is a keeper.
Excellent recipe!
I have a source for fregola, but, in a pinch, you can use Israeli couscous (large bead) which has been toasted in the oven (or a saute pan if you want a challenge) to impart the nutty flavour.
Score another hit for Giada. This recipe came out great. I had to change two ingredients. I used Israeli couscous since I couldn’t find the fregola and had to use seafood stock instead of the chicken stock since I was making this on Good Friday. I’m sure other seafood will go as well with the recipe. My husband has already requested adding scallops next time. Thanks Giada.
I used Penne – – it was so good.. Boiling the penne in the chicken broth and water made the penne so tasty! Another great recipe for Sunday dinner and did I mention it was quick and easy? It was a last minute decision to make and it was fabulous! Thank you Giada!!!
I used Farfalline, but you could almost use any small or mini noodle. I used shrimp instead of clams and it was WONDERFUL! I also added extra garlic and seasoned the shrimp with Tomb hot spice (you could used any type of pepper spice).
This receipe was SO easy and DELICIOUS—excellent to use in a pinch when you are short on time; I think the whole thing took less than an hour! YUMMY
This receipe was SO easy and DELICIOUS—excellent to use in a pinch when you are short on time; I think the whole thing took less than an hour! YUMMY
Whole Foods, Central Market and the local HEB do not carry Fregola (Fregula). Would be nice if Giada notes when an ingredient may be hard to find. I saw this repeat program Wed afternoon and will try a different pasta as a substitute, tonight. No idea what pasta is similar to Fregola, though, now that I’ve googled it. So will use whatever I have on hand.
i cant find fregola pasta in my area. what is a good substitue?
Would this work with shrimp, crab or scallops? I’m not fond of clams and mussels but the recipe looks easy and tasty–one of those magical go-to recipes.
I used kosher salt and it was perfect. I would have cooked the fregola a little longer….it was a little too al dente. I added some pepper flakes because we like a little heat. We also added a little grated parmesean cheese!
This is in response to the salt problem. Kosher salt is not as salty as table salt. I’ve been cooking for many many years and just found this out. I was going through the Kosher salt like crazy trying to salt water, etc. Anyway, make adjustments if using table salt.