Fregola ai Frutti di Mare (Sardinian Pasta with Seafood)

Preparing the Seafood and Broth

1. Start making fregola with seafood by cleaning the shrimp. Remove the shells, keeping the heads and shells aside to make the fish broth. Make a shallow cut along the back of each shrimp and pull out the intestines. Set the cleaned shrimp aside for later.
2. Heat about 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery, stirring to coat them evenly in the oil.
3. Add the shrimp heads and shells to the saucepan. Sauté them for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink and release their flavor.
4. Pour in the water. Lightly salt the broth, cover the saucepan with a lid, and let it simmer gently for about 30 minutes. This will create a flavorful fish broth.
5. While the broth is cooking, heat the olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) in another large saucepan. Add a whole clove of garlic and some chopped parsley. Once fragrant, add the mussels and clams (cook them separately or in the same pan). Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until all the shells have opened.

Cooking the Fregola

1. Once the mussels and clams have cooked, transfer them to a bowl. Discard any empty shells or those that didn’t open. Strain the cooking liquid from the mussels and clams and set it aside for later.
2. Now clean the squid. Rinse them under cold running water and remove the insides, eyes, central beak, and inner bone. Peel off the skin and slice the squid into rings. Set them aside for later use.
3. In a large saucepan, heat it briefly over medium heat, then add the fregola. Toast the fregola for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. This enhances its flavor and texture.
4. After toasting the fregola, pour in the reserved cooking liquid from the mussels and clams. Stir well to combine.
5. Add the tomato passata to the fregola and stir until evenly mixed.
6. Begin cooking the fregola risotto-style. Strain the shrimp broth then add a ladleful at a time, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more. Stir frequently to ensure the fregola cooks evenly. The total cooking time for fregola is about 15 minutes.
7. After 5-6 minutes of cooking, add the prepared squid rings and shrimp to the fregola. Stir well and cook for another 5 minutes, adding more stock as needed.
8. Once the fregola is cooked, stir in the mussels and clams. Mix gently to combine all the seafood with the pasta.
9. Serve the fregola ai frutti di mare piping hot, garnished with freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy this hearty and flavorful dish that brings the taste of the sea to your table!