Baked Fregola Casserole

Name: Baked Fregola Casserole
Yield: serves 6 as a ¿rst course or 8 as a side dish
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish; 1 cup chopped onion; 4 ounces pancetta, cut in 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup); 1 pint cherry tomatoes; 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh; 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste; 8 ounces (about 2 cups) homemade Fregola (preceding recipe); 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano); A heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger, with a cover; a pot for cooking the fregola; a 3-quart baking dish, 9 by 13 inches, or shallow casserole of similar size

December 9, 2011

This tasty and easy casserole is a wonderful way to enjoy homemade fregola and makes a great accompaniment to braised chicken or veal. If I have not convinced you to make your own, use packaged dried fregola, available at specialty stores or online. Commercial fregola is usually a bit larger than the homemade, so follow the package guidelines for cooking the pasta al dente.

Recipe notes

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