Tomato Soup with Fregola and Clams
Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, with extra for drizzling
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled, and 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons of freshly chopped thyme
- One 28-ounce can of whole San Marzano tomatoes, hand-crushed
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of peperoncino flakes
- 1 cup of dry wine
- 3 pounds of Manila or small littleneck clams
- 1 pound of fregola
- 1/4 cup of freshly chopped Italian parsley
Directions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic and thyme. Sauté until the garlic starts sizzling, which should take about a minute.
- Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes and pour in two quarts of water. Season the mixture with two teaspoons of salt and add the peperoncino flakes. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the mixture slightly thickens, which should take approximately 15 minutes.
- In another Dutch oven or pot, heated over medium heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the thinly sliced garlic. Allow it to sizzle for a minute, and then pour in the white wine. Bring it to a simmer and add the clams.
- Cover the pot and cook until the clams open, about five minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Remove the clams from the pot using a spider strainer, and strain the cooking liquid over them. Allow it to cool. Remove the clams from their shells and place them in the liquid, discarding the shells.
- Once the tomato mixture has thickened, add the fregola and cook until it’s al dente, which should take around 20 minutes.
- Stir in the clams and their cooking liquid, as well as the freshly chopped parsley. Simmer to heat the clams through and blend all the flavors together, approximately two minutes.
- Serve the dish with a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
