Fregola with Green Asparagus and Mint

Ahhh... how I love fregola!
Do you know it? It is a typical Sardinian pasta, usually served with fish, which I have reimagined here in a vegan version.
Tiny like Palestinian couscous, with a slightly toasted aroma, it is an ingredient that keeps coming back to my table in every season since I discovered it.

Here I pair it with a very springlike asparagus sauce, given a kick by gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), fresh mint leaves and a few pumpkin seeds.

320 g toasted fregola
10 green asparagus spears
2 spring onions
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon gochugaru
10 fresh mint leaves
extra virgin olive oil, salt

Bring a pot of water to the boil, salt it and cook the fregola for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash the spring onions and slice them thinly. Crush, peel and chop the garlic. Wash the asparagus and slice it thinly too, keeping the tips aside. Sauté the spring onions, garlic and asparagus in a wok with a little olive oil. Cook quickly, 5 to 8 minutes at most, and in the last minute add the asparagus tips, 6 mint leaves and the gochugaru, and salt lightly.

Separately, dry-toast the pumpkin seeds in a small non-stick pan. When the fregola is ready, add it to the wok and mix well. Serve garnished with the remaining mint and the pumpkin seeds.

The dish is good hot or cold: it can be an unusual everyday first course or part of a buffet for a generous aperitivo.