What is Fregula (aka Fregola)?

Fregula is a tiny pasta shape. It is made by sprinkling salty water over flour and rolling the wet flour with the fingertips to make tiny beads - looks a lot like couscous at the stage. Then fregula is toasted, giving it a nutty flavor and a golden brown color. 

Because it is toasted, it takes longer than other pasta to be cooked through. Most often, it is added to strong liquids or seasoned sauces and left for around 45 minutes to cook through.