Sausage and Fregola with Harissa

Something for a cool summer evening. The quality of the tomatoes matters, but don’t be afraid to introduce a little sugar if yours are less exciting than they could be. It is surprising how much even a pinch can help lift them. Add the harissa paste according to your taste; some brands can be exceptionally hot. For a vegetarian version I’d be tempted to swap the sausages for chunks of aubergine which is quite appropriate to the heart and soul of this recipe, adding more oil as necessary.

Ingredients

olive oil 2 tbsp
sausages 6, large, herby rather than spicy
assorted tomatoes 400g
fregola 150g
harissa paste 1-2 tbsp
olive oil to finish

Method

Warm the oil in a large, shallow-sided pan and fry the sausages over a low to moderate heat until nicely browned. Remove the sausages, slice them thickly then return them to the pan. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the sausages, letting them soften and collapse into a rough sauce over a moderate heat.

Put a large pan of water on to boil and add a little salt. Tip in the fregola and leave to boil for 10 minutes. Check its progress regularly, draining it as soon as it is tender.

Stir the harissa paste into the tomatoes and season with a little salt. (You won’t need much.). Cook until you have a rich, thick sauce then stir in the drained fregola. Check the seasoning and serve.