This Italian inspired dish is not only easy, it tastes delicious too!

What you’ll need to make Fregola Sarda Pasta:

• Fregola Sarda pasta – You can substitute Israeli Couscous, but I would suggest toasting it first in an oven or dry skillet.
• Shallot
• Garlic Cloves
• lemon
• Fresh Corn – You can substitute frozen or roasted corn.
• cherry tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Fresh Basil
• Olive Oil
• **Parmesan cheese – You can use pecorino
• Salt, pepper, aleppo pepper
  

  Cook Fregola:

  Generously season the pasta water with salt (1 tablespoon salt per 8 cups of water). Cook the Fregola 8-10 minutes or until the Fregola is tender on the outside, but still al dente, meaning it still has a little bite to it.

*Reserve one cup of hot pasta water.

Ingredients:

• • 1½ cups dry (8 ounces)Fregola pasta
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, diced
  • 1 large zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half (I used heirlooom)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3-4 garlic cloves (you can add more according to taste)
  • 2 ears corn, grilled (or frozen roasted)
  • ¼ teaspoon aleppo pepper flakes
  • ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese**
  • 15-20 basil leaves
  • zest of one lemon
  • *1 cup of reserved pasta water

    Instuctions for making Fregola pasta:

    In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and zucchini and corn. Season with kosher salt, and saute until the zucchini is translucent.  Add the garlic and allepo flakes and cook a few more minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the corn is tender, about 5-6 minutes.

    Add the cooked fregola pasta and tomatoes to the zucchini/corn mixture and drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the **parmesan, basil and lemon zest.  *Add ½ cup pasta water to loosen, and more if you prefer it to be more “saucy”.

    Taste, season with more salt or aleppo flakes if you like. If it tastes bland, it needs salt.

    Garnish with fresh basil and a good sprinkling of grated **parmesan.

    This is a drier style pasta dish just lightly coated in olive oil (kind of like couscous).

    For extra creaminess or a more saucy consistency, add more pasta water and stir in ¼ cup ricotta.

    

    Enjoy!!

    I hope you make this yummy pasta dish, and if you do, please tag me on Instagram @goodeatsbymimi.  I would love to hear from you and see your photos!

    This recipe is inspired by @feastingathome