Italian

fregola with grill-marinated
red peppers and zucchini
S e r v e s 6 t o 8
11/4
2 red bell peppers, cored and
cut into four pieces
lb. zucchini (4 small), trimmed
and quartered lengthwise
5 Tbs. Rosemary-Garlic Oil
(recipe p. 19)
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1 Tbs. red-wine vinegar
3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus
3 Tbs. torn leaves
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
3/4
lb. fregola
Fregola is a tiny toasted pasta from Sardinia. You can substitute any tiny
pasta, but toast it first.
1. Heat a gas grill to medium or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire. In a large
bowl, toss the peppers and zucchini with 2 Tbs. of the oil, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp.
black pepper. Arrange the vegetables on the grill and cook, covered if using
a gas grill, until they have nice grill marks, about 3 minutes for zucchini and
5 minutes for peppers. Flip and cook until the other sides are well browned,
too, another 3 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking and flipping occasionally until
the zucchini is crisp-tender and the peppers are completely tender with very
charred skins, 8 to 10 minutes total for zucchini and 12 to 15 minutes total for
peppers. Transfer to a large cutting board to cool.
2. Scrape the charred skins off the peppers. Coarsely chop the vegetables and
transfer to a large serving bowl. Toss with 2 Tbs. of the oil, the vinegar, chopped
mint, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let sit for up to
2 hours at room temperature.
3. Up to 1 hour before serving, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add
the fregola and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender (about 10 minutes).
4. Drain the pasta and toss with the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbs.
oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the torn mint and
set out on the table for serving. —Tony Rosenfeld
PER SERVING: 260 CALORIES | 7G PROTEIN | 37G CARB | 10G TOTAL FAT | 1.5G SAT FAT |
7G MONO FAT | 1.5G POLY FAT | 0MG CHOL | 500MG SODIUM | 3G FIBER
All about Zucchini
This summer squash comes in a couple of different colors.
Green zucchini is usually medium or dark green with tiny golden
flecks; its skin is smooth or lightly ridged. It is best when not more
than 6 inches long. Lebanese zucchini (also called Middle
Eastern) is shorter and plumper than its darker relatives, with a
blunt, rounded bottom end. This celadon-colored squash has
think, tender skin and creamy flesh. Golden zucchini is sunny
yellow and shaped just like its green cousin.
How to choose
Look for squash that’s brightly colored, firm, and plump, with no
blemishes. The skin should have a smooth, glossy sheen. Stay
away from bruised, dull-looking, or flaccid squash, which will be
bland and watery.
How to store
Store zucchini in a plastic bag in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, taking
care not to let other objects bruise its skin.
220 s i d e s