Fregola Risotto with Mushrooms

Come mushroom foraging in the Emmental on my small-group Swiss food & wine tour
Fregola Risotto with Wild Mushrooms & Smoked Tea Broth

Mushroom foraging in the Emmental is one of the highlights of my Swiss food & wine tour. We have an expert guide of course, and she gives everyone a pack of her dried wild mushrooms to bring home. Looking around for a dish to do them justice, I recalled a superb fregola risotto at The Taybank in Perthshire, Scotland. It was made with fresh mushrooms in a smoked tea broth and inspired this recipe. I use Lapsang Souchong tea as it’s very smoky, but Assam or another smoked tea will work too. Fregola is a Sardinian pasta that looks a little like couscous, except it’s been toasted so that some grains are darker than others. You can cook any pasta risotto-style, but it works especially well with fregola. As long as it’s well covered with liquid you don’t need to continually stir fregola risotto in the first 10 minutes or so, just towards the end as it gets thicker. Don’t skimp on the salt – remember pasta is normally cooked in salted water. Pour a glass of a full-bodied rosé, like the orange-pink Sunsets Natural Rosé, and enjoy.

Serves 4 as a starter or light meal

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon Lapsang Souchong tea (6g/⅕oz)
  • 7 cups boiling water (1.75 litres/3½ pints)
  • 30g dried mushrooms (1oz)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (60ml)
  • 1 red onion, finely diced
  • Salt flakes, to taste
  • 300g fregola (10½oz)
  • 50g cold butter, diced (1¾oz)
  • 35g freshly grated parmesan (1¼oz)
  • Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Method
  1. Steep tea in the boiling water for 5 minutes.
  2. Place mushrooms in a large heatproof bowl, strain the tea over them, cover and set aside for 30–60 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, place oil and onion in a large high sided frying pan over low-medium heat.
  4. Add 2–3 teaspoons of salt, cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just starting to colour.
  5. Drain mushrooms, reserving them and the soaking water except for any grit in the bottom of the bowl. If mushrooms are large, run a knife through them without chopping them too much.
  6. Add fregola to onion and stir for a minute or so until it’s hot to the touch.
  7. Add mushrooms and about half the soaking water and stir to combine well.
  8. Increase heat and bring to the boil, then reduce heat so it’s just gently bubbling.
  9. Cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring often and adding more soaking water as needed until fregola is al dente. You may not need all of the water and timing will depend on the size and texture of the fregola. After about 10 minutes, stir risotto almost constantly, increasing heat a little.
  10. Once fregola is al dente, add butter and most of the parmesan, reserving just a little for garnish, and beat vigorously to incorporate it. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
  11. Stir in parsley, and a little more water if you want it soupier, taste and add more salt if needed.
  12. Serve fregola risotto in shallow bowls sprinkled with remaining parmesan.
Download a Print Friendly Version

Swiss Food & Wine Tour Highlights

Share page on:

Sub-Recipe

  •  

What Other Travellers Say

Andrea (Adelaide, SA, Aus.)
Andrea (Adelaide, SA, Aus.)
Switzerland with Roberta was all I hoped and expected – she takes control of all the things I no longer want to decide. Roberta plans the itinerary to such an amazing extent – the food choices and venues always showcase the region we’re in and never disappoint. The small group works extremely well, with enough downtime to do your own thing but beautifully combined with an itinerary which encompasses all the things you want to see and more. My trip to Switzerland was my second adventure with Roberta – my first was Emilia-Romagna and I’ve already booked my next one to Scotland.
Belinda (Balmain, NSW, Aus.)
Belinda (Balmain, NSW, Aus.)
I had such a blast on the Swiss food and wine tour with Roberta. As a solo traveller, I loved the friendly small group vibe and the fact that all meals and transport were taken care of. I got to explore amazing villages and wineries and cheese producers that I would have missed if I'd been travelling on my own. It was so much fun that I've already booked my next tour with Roberta.
Teri (Pokolbin, NSW, Aus.)
Teri (Pokolbin, NSW, Aus.)
Thank you Roberta for organising such a wonderful Swiss tour! It felt like going from gem to gem – and your knowledge and passion for the places we visited and the people you introduced us to was evident throughout. Starting in the most charming village and finishing at such a grand and beautiful location, I remember thinking at our farewell lunch: “it doesn’t get much better than this!” Thank you, and I am already looking forward to my next trip with you.
Kirstina (Cremorne, NSW, Aus.)
Kirstina (Cremorne, NSW, Aus.)
My husband and I had never travelled in Switzerland before, and we were so glad we chose Roberta to show us ‘Her Switzerland’. Roberta's knowledge, enthusiasm and passion for food and wine made every day an adventure. Every meal was a delicious, interesting experience where we learnt a lot about Swiss foods and wines, which were truly excellent. One of the many highlights was mushroom foraging in an Emmental forest then joining our local fungi expert in her home for lunch. Roberta's ability to scout unique accommodation and experiences truly made for a trip we will never forget.
Subscribe To My Newsletter & Get A Free Online Italian Cooking Class (RRP $39)