Fregola Sarda with Lupini Clams and Artichokes

Method

1. Clean the clams by beating them in a bowl to check for sand; discard any with sand. Set aside the clean clams.
2. Peel a garlic clove and crush it slightly. In a pan, heat oil and add the garlic and any parsley stems.
3. Add the clams to the pan, pour in a little water, cover, and cook until the clams open.
4. Meanwhile, clean the artichokes: remove the tough outer leaves, cut off the top, halve, and scoop out the fuzzy choke. Slice one artichoke into thick pieces and the other into thin slices for frying. Soak the slices in lemon water to prevent browning.
5. Once the clams are open, remove them from the heat. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and reserve. Shell the clams, keeping them in a little of the strained liquid.
6. Wipe the pan clean, add a little more oil and a new garlic clove. Drain the artichoke thick slices and add them to the pan. Cover with a wet piece of parchment paper and cook gently to steam.
7. Add the fregola (about 250 g) to the pan and toast it lightly for a minute. Remove the garlic.
8. Pour in the reserved clam liquid and add enough water to cover the fregola. Stir, bring to a boil, then cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid as needed.
9. While the fregola cooks, coat the thin artichoke slices in flour. Heat oil for frying and fry them in batches until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
10. When the fregola is creamy and al dente, stir in chopped parsley, a drizzle of oil, and the shelled clams. Remove from heat.
11. Serve the fregola in a dish, top with the fried artichokes, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a little more parsley.