Sardinian couscous with clams

At the time of writing, I confess you will need to go to an Italian deli or specialist food outlet for fregola, the sun-dried and toasted Sardinian ‘couscous’ specified for this recipe. I wouldn’t substitute regular couscous for the fregola, which is rather more like dense pasta peas than semolina grains, and thus most comparable to the larger Middle-Eastern or Israeli couscous which could be used in its stead.

Sardinian couscous with clams. © BBC

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) small clams, such as palourde
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (purée)
• 750 ml (1¼ pint) light chicken stock
• 4 tbsp dry red vermouth
• 200 g (7 oz) fregola
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus more for sprinkling

Instructions

Soak the clams in a large bowl of cold water, and sort through them, discarding any shells that remain open or are cracked or smashed.

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan that comes with a lid, then add the chopped shallot, stirring for a minute, grate in the garlic, and add the chilli flakes, stirring again over the heat so that it sizzles, though not long enough to let the garlic brown.

Stir in the tomato purée, then add the stock and the vermouth and let it come to the boil.

Add the fregola – it should be covered completely by the liquid – and let it simmer, still uncovered, for 10–12 minutes (or as instructed on the fregola packet).

Check that the fregola is nearly ready and then add the drained clams and cover the pan with the lid. Leave to cook for 3 minutes at a fast simmer, then uncover the pan to check that the clams have opened. Any clams that, once cooked, stay closed should be discarded.

Sprinkle in the chopped parsley and stir to let everything combine before ladling into four warmed bowls to serve, sprinkling with a little more chopped parsley as you go.

See Nigella Lawson in Nigellissima. Find details and more recipes from the show here. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.