Malloreddus alla Campidanese
Malloreddus alla Campidanese
Gnocchetti Sardi with Sausage Ragù
Think of malloreddus as Sardinia’s answer to mainland Italian cavatelli: stubby little pasta made with durum wheat. Malloreddus are more elaborate than standard cavatelli, though; they are shaped by pressing the raw dough into the fibers of woven baskets. The resulting ridged texture makes them a perfect pairing for chunky sauces. In the Campidano area, a region straddling a high plain between Oristano and Calgliari, they are served with a rich sausage ragù, typical of the hearty diet of the farmers and shepherds there. You can make your own malloreddus or purchase dried gnocchetti sardi (the catchall Italian name used on the mainland instead of the many dialect names for the pasta shape). In Italy and at Italian markets in the US, fennel sausage is readily available. If you can’t get your hands on some, toast 1 tsp of fennel seeds in a separate dry skillet for 30 seconds, or until fragrant, then add with the sausage.
Serve with Porceddu sardu for a proper Sardinian pork-positive feast!
Ingredients (11)
Ingredients (11)
Instructions
Heat the olive oil (¼ cup) in a large skillet over low heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion (½ medium) and garlic (1 clove), season with salt, and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 15 minutes.
Add the basil (6 leaves) and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Add the sausage (1 lb). Season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the wine (½ cup), increase the heat to high, and cook until the alcohol aroma dissipates, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes (1 28-oz can). Season with salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the tomatoes lose their raw flavor, about 15 minutes.
To concentrate the tomato flavor more quickly, strain the whole peeled tomatoes, setting aside the juice. Crush the tomatoes by hand directly into the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the tomato liquid and cook for 5 minutes more.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Salt the water until it tastes like a seasoned soup.
Add the malloreddus (1 lb) and cook until the pasta has lost its raw flavor, 3 to 4 minutes, or cook until al dente if using dry pasta.
Drain the pasta, reserving the cooking water. Add the pasta to the tomato sauce and stir to coat.
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