A trip to the greenmarket here in Brooklyn helped in the decision of what to eat for dinner. I choose local New Jersey Asparagus. Next I went though my tons of recipes torn from magazines or stored on the computer and found this one.I already had the Fregola and most of the other ingredients in the house except for the cheese. So I paid a visit to the new "Stinky Brooklyn" on Smith Street. It is much larger than the old store and offers a bigger variety they sell a lot more than cheese. First impression was that they were also very pricey. I picked up a Gorgonzola Piccante-pasteurized cow cheese that is aged for 300 days-it was $18.oo a pound thank goodness I only needed 3 ounces. It is a bit strong but excellent.
I followed the recipe almost exclusively but did make some changes-I did not add the olive oil at the end I did not think it was needed, and when I make this again, because I will, I may cut down on the chicken broth-I actually had to strain the dish before I added the cheese because it was too soupy.
We had it as a main dish-it was really tasty, had a nice variety of texture, and was creamy like a risotto. I think it would also make a terrific side dish with a simple roasted chicken or fish.
The Washington Post, March 5, 2008
Dinner in 30 Minutes
Course: Main Course
Features: Fast, Kid-Friendly
Summary:
Think of this dish as an unfussy, roly-poly risotto, achieved with less stirring and packed with some of the young, tender asparagus that has just cropped up in produce departments. Fregola, a small, round toasted pasta, hails from Sardinia.
4 servings
Ingredients:
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used fat free broth and cut down on the salt later)
1 medium shallot
1 pound asparagus, preferably with thin stalks
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces fregola (may substitute toasted Israeli couscous)
1/2 cup dry, full-bodied white wine
3 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Bring the chicken broth almost to a boil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan.
Meanwhile, chop the shallot. Cut off the tough ends of the asparagus and cut the stalks crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a separate large saucepan over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add the chopped shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden (watch carefully to avoid burning). Add the asparagus and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to coat evenly.
Add the fregola to the asparagus and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to toast the pasta. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes or until it is absorbed, then add all of the hot broth. Cover partially and cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes or until the mixture is creamy and the fregola has gotten fatter.
Remove from the heat and add the Gorgonzola, stirring to combine. Then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the pasta rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Bring the chicken broth almost to a boil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan.
Meanwhile, chop the shallot. Cut off the tough ends of the asparagus and cut the stalks crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a separate large saucepan over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add the chopped shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden (watch carefully to avoid burning). Add the asparagus and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to coat evenly.
Add the fregola to the asparagus and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to toast the pasta. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes or until it is absorbed, then add all of the hot broth. Cover partially and cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes or until the mixture is creamy and the fregola has gotten fatter.
Remove from the heat and add the Gorgonzola, stirring to combine. Then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the pasta rest for 2 minutes before serving.
