Fregola Salad with Leek, Carrots and Avocado Cream

I discovered fregola only recently: it is a pasta from Sardinia and I am learning to appreciate how versatile it is.
Its shape is like a large couscous, so you can treat it in a similar way.

Traditionally it is paired with fish, but I find that toasted fregola in particular, with its very distinctive flavour, goes beautifully with vegetables. I have always loved traditional cooking but, not having eaten meat for twenty years, I have often had to rework many recipes into vegetarian versions. Many of my dishes were born this way, including this winter salad of Sardinian fregola with finely diced leek and carrot, avocado cream and leek roots.

320 g toasted Sardinian fregola
1 medium leek, with its roots
4 carrots
1 ripe avocado
1/2 lemon
1/2 beetroot
salt, pepper, olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
Wash the leek, peel the carrots and cut both into tiny cubes (1-2 mm). Carefully wash the leek roots too, cut them off the stem and chop them roughly, keeping a few whole for garnish.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan. When hot, add the vegetables and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes: they should caramelise without burning. Season with salt and pepper, add the leek roots, stir and cook for 2 more minutes, then turn off the heat.

When the water boils, add the fregola and cook for the time on the packet (usually 10 minutes). Meanwhile, scoop out the avocado and blend it with a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the lemon juice until creamy.
Put the pan with the vegetables back on the heat.
Drain the fregola, add it to the pan and mix well, with a pinch of pepper and, if needed, another tablespoon of oil.

Divide among plates and use two spoons to shape a quenelle of avocado cream on each. In the photo I garnished the dish with leek roots, beetroot chips (made in a dehydrator: 8 hours at 40°C) and Sichuan pepper.

If you are not sure how to shape a quenelle, you can find a useful video here.