Cagliari and the Sardinian coast. Fregola (also called frégula in local dialect) appears in Sardinian documents from the 14th century. Its visual and textural similarity to North African couscous and berkoukes reflects the ancient Punic and Carthaginian cultural connections of Sardinia.
Fregola is a Sardinian toasted pasta of semolina grains rubbed by hand in a terracotta bowl, irregular in size and toasted in the oven until golden to varying degrees — producing a range of roasted, nutty, slightly smoky flavours within the same batch. It cooks like risotto, absorbing liquid gradually, and is served with arselle (the small, sweet clams of the Sardinian coastline — Venerupis pullastra or Callista chione). The combination of the toasted semolina depth and the briny, sweet clam flavour is one of the definitive dishes of Sardinian coastal cooking.
The toasted semolina absorbs the briny clam liquor and its own roasted quality melds with the sea. Each piece of fregola carries the flavour of the clam broth and its own toasted depth. The clams themselves provide sweetness and brine. The combination is intensely maritime and completely Sardinian.
Fregola is made by rolling fine semolina in a terracotta sac (catinus) with a small amount of salted water — the friction creates small, irregular spheres that are dried then toasted in the oven. Commercial fregola is a reasonable substitute. The cooking method is key: like risotto, fregola absorbs hot liquid progressively — clam broth in this case. The arselle are opened in a dry pan (or with a splash of white wine), the shells reserved, and the clam liquor strained and reserved. The fregola is toasted briefly in olive oil with garlic, then the clam liquor is added hot, ladle by ladle, until the fregola is tender and has absorbed the full volume. Clams are added back in at the end.
The toasted fregola, if homemade, will have a range of golden-to-dark spots — the varying degrees of toast create a layered flavour. Reserve several tablespoons of extra clam liquor to loosen the finished dish at service. The clams should be added at the last possible moment — stirred in off heat with the shells, so they warm through from residual heat without toughening.
Adding all the liquid at once — the fregola becomes waterlogged; it must absorb gradually like risotto. Using packaged clam juice instead of the cooking liquor from fresh clams — entirely different flavour. Over-cooking the clams — they toughen; they should be just-opened and re-added at the last minute. Not toasting the fregola in olive oil before adding liquid — this essential step deepens the flavour.
Oretta Zanini de Vita, Encyclopedia of Pasta; Slow Food Editore, Sardegna in Cucina