Malloreddus alla Campidanese (Sardinian Pasta Recipe)

Malloreddus alla Campidanese is a traditional Sardinian pasta dish. They are small, ridged pasta shells similar in shape to gnocchi (also called "gnocchetti sardi"), but made with semolina and water instead of potatoes.

Malloreddus were traditionally made with a special tool called "su cibiru". It's a round sieve made of reed sticks. If you don't have this traditional tool, you can of course use a regular wooden board called "rigagnocchi". The shape of the mallureddus is designed so that the condiment is better collected in the strips and their cavity.

Mallureddus are traditionally served with butter and grated pecorino cheese, plain tomato sauce or lamb ragu. But the most typical and widespread recipe is Malloreddus alla Campidanese. Campidano is the largest plain of Sardinia, located in the southwestern part of the island.

It is a very rich dish with a sauce made of tomatoes, sausage, Sardinian pecorino cheese and a pinch of saffron. Malloreddus alla campidanese are a great idea to bring a tasty first course to the table at family lunches and dinners or when you have guests.

Here's how to make one of Sardinia's most famous and popular pasta dishes.

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Storage
• Subtitutions
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Ingredients

Prep Time: 10 Min | Cook Time: 50 Min | Servings: 4

• 350 g (12 oz) Gnocchetti Sardi (Malloreddus). Follow our recipe and make homemade malloreddus
• 300 g (10 oz) Italian sausage
• 450 ml (1 ½ cup) tomato passata or peeled tomatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 40 ml (3 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
• 100 ml (⅖ cup) dry white wine
• 5-6 basil leaves
• 1 sachet of saffron powder (optional). This is equivalent to 0.15 grams (⅛ teaspoon).
• salt, to taste
• 100 g (1 ¼ cup) Pecorino Sardo cheese

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Instructions

Step 1) - To prepare the Malloreddus alla Campidanese, start by preparing the chopped garlic and onion. Sauté them in a non-stick pan with extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn them.

Step 2) - Remove the casing from the sausage and cut it into chunks. Add to the garlic and onion sauté and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir the sausage well so that it is browned all over.

Step 3) - Add the white wine and let it evaporate completely, then add the tomato passata.

Step 4) - Add the basil and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, prepare the pot to cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the malloreddus.

Note: Follow the cooking time on the package. Fresh homemade pasta usually has a shorter cooking time.

Step 5) - A few minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the saffron powder to the sauce. Stir well.Taste campidanese sauce and if necessary add salt to taste.

Drain the al dente Sardinian gnocchetti directly into the saucepan and stir well.

Step 6) - Turn off the heat and add the grated pecorino sardo cheese, stirring to combine.

Note: If you want a creamier result or if the pasta seems too dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water along with the pecorino.

Serve the Malloreddus alla Campidanese hot with more grated pecorino on top.

YOU MUST ALSO TRY:

• Tagliatelle Bolognese
• Pumpkin Tagliatelle with Sausage and Mushrooms
• Italian Sausage Ragu Recipe
• Risotto alla Milanese (Italian Saffron Risotto Recipe)

Storage

Malloreddus alla Campidanese can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day in a tightly closed container.

I do not recommend freezing the already seasoned dish. You can certainly freeze the Campidanese sauce and use it within a month. Of course, only if you have used fresh ingredients.

Subtitutions

Saffron: Saffron was used in the dough and not only in the sauce in the original recipe for Malloreddus alla Campidanese. Nowadays, however, this ingredient is removed from the dough to make the pasta more versatile and suitable for other recipes and seasonings.

Pecorino Sardo cheese: For this recipe, tradition dictates the use of fairly fresh Sardinian pecorino. If you prefer a stronger taste, you can replace it with seasoned pecorino. In this case, however, pay attention to the level of flavor and adjust the amount accordingly. If the pecorino is very salty, you can reduce the amount slightly and not add any salt to the sauce.

Sausage: In Sardinia, they often use sausage with fennel seeds for this recipe. This flavor is very common and used in Southern Italy in cured meats. If you do not like the sweet and very aromatic taste of fennel, you can easily use a classic sausage. On the other hand, if you love this flavor but cannot find fennel sausage, I recommend adding half a teaspoon of fennel seeds to the campidanese sauce.

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