Sardinian Fregula (a type of Sardinian pasta but often referred to as a Sardinian cous cous due to its similarity in size and shape), is a little gem of the island’s culinary tradition, a dish that tells the story and flavours of the Mediterranean with its unmistakable rustic soul and the scent of the sea. In this gourmet version, Fregula meets the delicacy of the courgettes and the strong flavour of the octopus, while the roasted cherry tomatoes add a touch of sweetness, which blends perfectly with the subtle flavour of the Taggiasca olives.
Courgette Fregula with octopus, roasted cherry tomatoes and Taggiasca olives is a dish that celebrates the harmony of flavours and authenticity of ingredients, perfect for those who want to bring an authentic taste of Sardinia to the table, with a touch of contemporary elegance. A perfect recipe for enjoying the end of summer outdoors, in the company of close friends.
Sardinian Fregula with courgettes, octopus, roasted cherry tomatoes and Taggiasca olives – the recipe
Difficulty: easy
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg octopus
- a few parsley stalks
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 300 g cherry tomatoes
- The zest of an untreated lemon
- A teaspoon of honey
- 400 g of courgettes
- 300 g of Sardinian Fregula
- 50 g Taggiasche olives
- A few mint leaves and basil
- a pinch of salt and black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil as desired
METHOD
How to cook octopus to perfection, retaining its tenderness
- Clean the octopus by rubbing it with coarse salt, rinse it well and then remove the inner bag from the head, then remove the eyes and beak.
- Place in a high-sided saucepan with a little oil, a few parsley stalks, peppercorns and a clove of garlic. Cook over a low heat for about 1 hour with the lid on, until the prongs of a fork slide easily into the tentacles. In this way the octopus will cook in its own water and become very tender (avoiding the risk of getting a rubbery texture).
- Once cool, separate the tentacles from the head and cut them up as you like. With this method we only used the tentacles by cutting them into rounds. However, if you prefer to grill it, simply follow steps 1 and 2 then let it cool completely and proceed with the grilling.
- Anti-waste tip: with the protein-rich octopus cooking water, you can make a great-flavoured mayonnaise. All you have to do is add some vegetable oil and use a blender, to incorporate air, much as you would for a classic mayonnaise.
How to prepare courgette Fregola with octopus, cherry tomatoes and Taggiasca olives
- Once the octopus is prepared, proceed with the other main ingredients. Start with the roasted cherry tomatoes: cut them into quarters (to speed up cooking), place them in an oven dish and season with oil, salt, ground black pepper, honey and lemon zest.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes at 200°C – the Palazzetti wood-fired oven is the perfect choice in any season, especially in summer when cooking outdoors allows you to avoid overheating the kitchen inside!
- Time for the courgettes: wash them and cut them into small pieces. Transfer to a frying pan with oil and garlic, season with salt and allow to simmer with the lid on until tender.
- Once cooked, transfer to a blender, remove the garlic clove, blend together with a few mint leaves and basil. Return the resulting cream to the pan.
- Cook the Fregula in salted water, drain al dente and add directly to the pan with the cream of courgette and toss for a few moments with a spoonful of the salted cooking water.
- Add the octopus and olives.
- Now it’s time to serve: all you have to do is serve on a plate and add the roasted cherry tomatoes and their seasoning. Ready! Enjoy!
