Fregola with Verde Sauce

Scott Cavagnaro
Scott Cavagnaro
Scott Cavagnaro (Chef Cava) is a classically-trained chef and a graduate of the French Culinary Institute. His career in the food service industry began long before culinary school, having worked in all aspects of the industry — front of the house, back of the house, and in catering sales. Scott began cooking professionally as a line cook at the famed New York City French restaurant, La Grenouille. While working at La Grenouille, the restaurant received 3 stars from The New York Times. After La Grenouille, he spent time cooking for several restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan before switching his focus to private dining. Scott’s main focus is cooking with seasons and supporting small farms and local vendors for his private and pop-up events.
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published Jul 25, 2022
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Fregola with Verde Sauce Recipe

Craving pasta salad? Make this any-season fregola recipe with kale and herb pesto.

Serves4

Prep25 minutes

Cook10 minutes to 11 minutes

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Fregola pesto salad in serving bowl.
Credit: Photo: Julia Gartland; Food Styling: Rebecca Firkser

In late spring, I was tasked to create a pesto. The only problem was that basil is not traditionally available in the farmers markets in New York City until mid-summer. There is, however, an abundance of kale and herbs such as dill, mint, chives, and parsley. And so this riff off of traditional pesto was born.

We’re in the full swing of summer now, but all the ingredients I used for that late-spring pesto are still available today. It’s a sauce that spans the seasons and is too good not to make immediately. It pairs particularly well with fregola (a pasta similar to Israeli coucous) because it’s hard to overcook and has a great texture. You can serve the pasta hot but if you serve it cold, as a salad, the nutty wood-fired flavor from the fregola really shines through.

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Fregola with Verde Sauce Recipe

Craving pasta salad? Make this any-season fregola recipe with kale and herb pesto.

Prep time 25 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes to 11 minutes

Serves 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 (about 17.6-ounce) package

    medium fregola sarda

  • 1 tablespoon

    plus 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 1 medium bunch

    flat-leaf kale (about 6 ounces)

  • 1 large bunch

    fresh chives (about 2 ounces)

  • 2

    small or 1 large bunch fresh parsley

  • 1 medium bunch

    fresh dill (to get 2 ounces coarsely chopped fronds and tender stems)

  • 1 large bunch

    fresh mint (to get 2 ounces picked leaves)

  • 6 bunches

    fresh tarragon (about 3 ounces)

  • 1 ounce

    Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish

  • 4

    medium lemons

  • 1/2 cup

    water

  • 2 teaspoons

    kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water and as needed

  • 4 cloves

    garlic

  • 1 teaspoon

    Calabrian chile flakes or red pepper flakes (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons

    unsalted pistachios (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 (about 17.6-ounce) package fregola sarda. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 10 to 11 minutes. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Drain the fregola. Transfer to the baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and toss to coat. Spread out into an even layer and let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, prepare the verde sauce.

  3. Prepare the following, adding each to the same large bowl as you complete it: Strip the leaves from 1 medium bunch flat-leaf kale; discard the stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Coarsely chop 1 large bunch fresh chives (about 2 cups). Pick the leaves from 2 small or 1 large bunch fresh parsley until you have 2 1/2 cups. Coarsely chop the fronds and tender stems from 1 medium bunch fresh dill until you have about 2 cups. Pick the leaves from 1 large bunch fresh mint until you have 3 cups. Pick the leaves from 6 bunches fresh tarragon until you have 3 cups.

  4. Finely grate 1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese until you have 1/2 cup.

  5. Finely grate the zest from 4 medium lemons until you have 1/4 cup. Juice the lemons until you have 1/2 cup. Place the lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup water, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 4 garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon Calabrian chile flakes if desired in a blender. Blend, stopping and scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, until combined, about 30 seconds.

  6. Adding the kale and herbs to the blender in batches, blend, starting from low speed and increasing to high speed and scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, until combined. Add the Pecorino and 2 tablespoons unsalted pistachios if desired, and blend until smooth and combined, about 1 minute.

  7. Transfer the cooled fregola to a large bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups of the sauce and mix until combined. Taste and add more sauce or kosher salt as needed. Serve topped with more grated Pecorino.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The verde sauce can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce before sealing the container to keep it from browning. The fregola can be cooked up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day, the color will darken slightly.

Filed in:
Main Dish
italian
vegetarian
pasta
herbs
Seasonings