Fregola Tabbouleh

• Recipe by Nancy Silverton

Fregola sarda is a wonderfully chewy mini Italian pasta from Sardinia. Because its size is similar to bulgur wheat's, Silverton uses it in her fun riff on tabbouleh.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup fregola sarda (7 ounces)
2. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4. 1 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
5. 1/4 cup minced mint
6. 1 Persian or Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced
7. 1 large garlic clove, minced
8. 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
9. Kosher salt

Directions

1. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the fregola until al dente, 10 minutes. Drain; spread on a plate to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice. Add the minced parsley and mint, the cucumber and garlic and toss. Add the fregola and tomatoes and toss again. Season with salt and serve at room temperature.

Notes

Fregola sarda, small bead-like pasta made with semolina, is sometimes called Italian or Sardinian couscous. If you cannot find it, you can substitute any small pasta or Israeli couscous, which is quite similar.