Ingredients for 4 people:
- 140 g of Sardinian fregola
- 800 g. of water
- 500 g of eel fillets
- 250 g of peeled tomatoes
- half a white onion
- a clove of garlic
- 10 pickled olives, pitted and cut into small pieces
- 20 pickled capers, rinsed
- 2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and chopped into small pieces
- half a glass of dry white wine
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Preparation:
With this recipe, you will delight yourself with a fregola with an irresistible flavor, thanks to the eel sauce seasoned with olives and capers. To start, make sure you buy a fresh eel, about 400-500 grams in size, thus guaranteeing the quality of the flavours.
Prepare the ingredients for the sauce carefully, dedicating some time to pitting the olives, using a special tool or a sharp knife. Cut the olives into small pieces, any size you like. Next, finely chop the onion, garlic and red pepper, making sure to remove the seeds for a less spicy flavour.
The peeled tomatoes must be finely chopped by hand, avoiding blending them, in order to maintain a rustic texture. As for the salted capers, select the good quality ones and leave about 20 of them in the water for 10 minutes, in order to eliminate the excess salt. Rinse them well under running water and dry them on a cloth.
Then proceed with the thorough cleaning of the eels, carefully removing the innards and being careful not to damage the gallbladder which contains the gall, with its typical green colour, which can give a too bitter taste to the whole dish. Cut the eel into pieces of about 5 cm and remove the head and tail.
In a large saucepan, heat a little extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and the chopped chillies. Fry until the onion becomes golden and fragrant. Add the pitted olives and the capers, continuing to cook for a few minutes. Then add the garlic and pour in the white wine, letting the alcohol evaporate. Add the peeled tomatoes and half a glass of white wine and bring to the boil. Season with salt, taking into account the flavor of the capers. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pieces of eel and cook for about 5 minutes, keeping the lid on the saucepan to preserve the juicy texture of the meat.
Once cooked, gently remove the pieces of eel from the sauce and set them aside on a plate. In the same saucepan, pour 800 grams of slightly salted hot water, taking into account the flavor of the sauce and the capers. Bring to the boil and add the Sardinian fregola. Cook the fregola for about 8 minutes, or following the instructions on the package to obtain an al dente consistency. Gently stir to combine the ingredients and ensure even distribution of the sauce over the fregola.
Once cooking is finished, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the fregola rest for about half an hour. During this time, the flavors of the sauce will slowly creep into the fregola, creating an irresistible gustatory combination.
When you are ready to serve, take some plates and arrange the fregola seasoned with the sauce and put the pieces of eel on top. If you like, for a final touch of freshness, you can garnish the dish with a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley.
Accompany this delicacy with a dry white wine, which will perfectly complete the harmony of flavours. An excellent choice could be a Vermentino from Sardinia, which celebrates the fregola tradition, or a delicious Nuragus from Cagliari, able to bring out the unique flavors of the dish to the maximum.
Take the time to savor each bite, letting the flavors mingle and take you on a culinary journey.
Enjoy your meal!
