Fregola with crab, lemon and herbs

Serves 4

Fregola is a Sicilian toasted wheat pasta that looks like cous cous but bigger. You can get it from good Italian delis and special sections in some supermarkets. Freshly picked crab is essential for a dish like this, so do go to the trouble of buying a freshly cooked crab or cook one yourself and make a soup with the shells.

Fregola is a Sicilian toasted wheat pasta that looks like cous cous but bigger. You can get it from good Italian delis and special sections in some supermarkets. Freshly picked crab is essential for a dish like this, so do go to the trouble of buying a freshly cooked crab or cook one yourself and make a soup with the shells.

Approx 200g freshly picked white crab meat
40g fregola
50-60g purslane or corn salad, or other similar small salad leaves
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped

for the dressing

Juice of 1 lemon
5tbsp olive oil
A few sprigs of fresh parsley
A handful of soft herbs, such as chervil and dill, picked into sprigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the fregola in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and refresh under the cold tap. Arrange the salad leaves on plates with the chopped tomato and fregola. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together. Dress the salad generously then scatter the crabmeat over and serve immediately.