SPICY CALAMARI WITH FREGOLA

Spicy Calamari With Fregola image

In Sardinia, rustic saucy fish stews are commonly served with fregola, simmered golden nuggets of toasted semolina, hearty and satisfying. A relative of couscous, fregola arrived by ship from nearby Tunisia, became popular and melded into the local cuisine long ago. The little round pellets are the size of a peppercorn, or a bit larger. When cooked, they have a pleasant, slightly chewy texture. Traditionally, fregola is used in vegetable soups as a way to add substance; prepared like a juicy risotto with the concentrated flavor of clams or other shellfish; or served as part of a room-temperature salad. Most Italian stores in the United States carry it, but you may substitute Israeli-style pearl couscous, which has a similar flavor.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories dinner, lunch, grains and rice, seafood, soups and stews, main course

Time 30m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

2 pounds small to medium calamari, tubes and tentacles cleaned, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
4 small garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup diced canned tomato
3/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 cup fregola sarda (add 1/2 cup for heartier appetites)
12 basil leaves
Pinch of dried oregano

Steps:

Spread the calamari on a baking sheet and pat dry as best you can with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, wide skillet over high heat. Add calamari and quickly stir-fry, cooking for only 1 minute, until puffed. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add crushed red pepper, anchovy and garlic and let sizzle, then add onions and stir well.
Season onions generously and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened and faintly colored. Add saffron and wine and simmer for 1 minute, then add tomato and broth. Adjust heat so sauce simmers gently for about 10 minutes, until flavors are well mingled. Taste for salt and hot pepper.
Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Add fregola and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
Add par-cooked calamari to the sauce over high heat. Add basil leaves and stir well until everything is heated through and calamari are completely cooked, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and fold in cooked fregola. Sprinkle with oregano, add a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 348, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 35 grams, Fat 8 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 30 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 766 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams