Toasted breadcrumb-like pasta from the island of Sardinia.

In its March 2006 issue, Health magazine praises fregola sarda for its healthful benefits. Says food editor Frances Largeman, "My new fave pasta...You get to indulge in fregola without the typical carb and calorie overload...It has a special kind of dietary fiber called resistant starch that helps maintain blood sugar and improves digestion...You might say I'm hooked on this classic and you will be too."

Fregare means "to rub," and this fregola pasta is made by rubbing coarse semolina pasta and water together to create crumbs. The crumbs are then toasted, which imparts a rich, earthy flavor to the pasta. The pasta is cooked a little like rice, with an excessive amount of water that is allowed to evaporate during the cooking process.

An authentic Sardinian recipe is included on the bag of pasta.

View our chef Gianluca’s favorite Fregola recipe.