Fregola with shrimp, stracciatella, and licorice

Name: Fregola with shrimp, stracciatella, and licorice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Fregola pasta 7.1 oz; Shrimps red 7 oz; Stracciatella cheese to taste; Licorice powder ¾ tsp; Basil to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Datterino tomatoes 1.1 cups; Onions 0.7 cup; Celery 1 cup; Carrots 1 cup; Ice to taste; Water to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste

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Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Roberto Paddeu

Fregola with shrimp—such a classic in Sardinian cooking! If you’re all about that sea and land flavor combo, this dish is for you. Seriously, it shows off Sardinia’s love for seafood and its unique pasta, known as fregola or frègula. These little toasted semolina balls offer a tender bite, kind of like a mix between couscous and regular pasta. Really really good.

In Sardinia, fregola is usually in seafood stews, but here’s the twist: it’s cooked risotto-style. Slowly simmering it with shrimp shell broth, it absorbs that rich, moist flavor, capturing the ocean’s essence in each bite. And the sauce? What really makes this dish stand out is the final touch—creamy, cool stracciatella cheese. Added just before serving, it melts slightly, creating a silky, soft layer over everything.

And look, regional Italian cuisine always has surprises. The hint of licorice here is one of those twists that’s just so so good. Not exactly a licorice dessert, but that little dash of licorice powder gives it a subtle anise-flavored aroma. Pretty much feels Mediterranean. Sardinian chefs love experimenting, and touches like this keep things exciting while staying true to their roots.

Now, top it off with fresh, raw red shrimp. It's a burst of sweet, ocean flavor that pops against the creamy stracciatella recipe base. And here's the thing: in Sardinia, some versions might add clams or mussels. Which is great. But this combo of shrimp and stracciatella? It’s something special. Italian cheese enthusiasts will totally dig how the stracciatella melts into the fregola, giving a texture that’s extra creamy and a bit luxurious.

This is the kind of seafood pasta you’d find in a seaside spot in Cagliari. And modern and a bit gourmet—but deeply traditional. I mean, if you love fregola with shrimp, this dish really really shows why Sardinian food is cherished in Italian cuisine. It’s a taste of the Mediterranean that’s innovative yet steeped in heritage, no question.

INGREDIENTS

Fregola pasta 7.1 oz (200 g)

Shrimps 7 oz (200 g) - red

Stracciatella cheese to taste

Licorice powder ¾ tsp (3 g)

Basil to taste

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Fine salt to taste

For the shrimp broth: Datterino tomatoes 1.1 cups (200 g); Onions 0.7 cup (100 g); Celery 1 cup (100 g); Carrots 1 cup (100 g); Ice to taste; Water to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Fregola with shrimp, stracciatella, and licorice

To prepare the fregola with shrimp, stracciatella, and licorice, first clean the red shrimp: detach the head from the body 1 and save the heads. Remove the shell, tail, and legs, then cut the back with the tip of a knife and remove the intestine 2. Place the cleaned shrimp in the refrigerator and set the heads aside 3.

Proceed to the cooking base: heat a splash of oil in a pan, then add the onion 4, celery 5, and carrots 6 that you have previously coarsely chopped.

Sauté the vegetables, stirring often 7, then add the shrimp heads 8. Continue to sauté for a few minutes, crushing the heads with the ladle to release all the juices 9.

At this point, add the cherry tomatoes cut into halves 10 and stir. Add the ice 11 and cover with water 12.

Lower the heat and let it cook for 40 minutes 13. After this time, strain the broth 14 and keep the obtained liquid warm 15.

Pour the fregola into a pan 16 and toast it dry, stirring continuously 17. When you feel it is hot by touching it with your hands, add a ladle of broth 18. Continue cooking in this way, making sure to wait until the liquid is absorbed before adding more; it will take about 12 minutes.

Once the fregola is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in a drizzle of oil 19, then flavor with some basil leaves torn by hand 20. Mix well 21.

Let the fregola rest, and in the meantime, season the raw shrimp with oil and salt 22. You are ready to plate: garnish the fregola with a dollop of stracciatella 23, then sprinkle with licorice powder 34.