Small, ridged and hollow enough to hold the sauce. Malloreddus are the best-known pasta shape in Sardinia, and they are made with just two ingredients. What matters is the movement of the hand: it takes minutes to learn and a little practice to do well.
What are malloreddus?
Malloreddus are small dumplings of durum wheat semolina and water, with no egg and no potato. Outside the island they are sold as Sardinian gnocchetti. On the island the name changes from area to area: around here they are also called maccarrones de ungia.
The shape is an elongated shell, smooth inside and ridged outside. The ridges are there for a reason: they catch the sauce.
Where the name comes from
According to the most common explanation, malloreddus is the diminutive of malloru, the word for bull in southern Sardinian: "little calves", for their plump shape. It is a name that says a lot about the farming and shepherding world this pasta comes from.
Two ingredients, a thumb and a ridged surface: the rest is habit in the hands.
Ingredients
For four people:
- 400 g fine durum wheat semolina (semola rimacinata)
- About 200 ml lukewarm water
- A pinch of salt
Some cooks dissolve a little saffron in the water, for colour and aroma. The amount of water depends on the semolina: the dough should be firm, not sticky.
How to make them, step by step
- Knead. Put the semolina on a board, add the salt and then the water a little at a time. Knead firmly for about ten minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Rest. Cover the dough with a cloth or an upturned bowl and leave it for about half an hour.
- Roll. Cut off a piece and roll it under your palms into a rope about one centimetre thick. Keep the rest covered so it does not dry out.
- Cut. Cut the rope into pieces a centimetre long, or slightly more.
- Shape. Place each piece on a ridged gnocchi board and drag it with your thumb, pressing lightly: it curls over itself and takes the ridges. In the past, the bottom of a woven straw basket was used.
- Dry. Spread the gnocchetti out on a tray dusted with semolina and leave them for at least half an hour.
Cooking and sauce
Cook malloreddus in plenty of salted water. Fresh ones are ready a few minutes after they float: taste them, they should stay firm.
The most famous sauce is alla campidanese: tomato with fresh sausage, a little saffron and a generous grating of Sardinian pecorino. They are also very good with a plain tomato and basil sauce, or with butter and pecorino.
What to drink
The sausage sauce calls for a Sardinian red with character, such as a Cannonau or a Carignano. With lighter sauces try a rosé or a Vermentino di Sardegna. And for the bread you dip in the sauce, a drizzle of our Bosana extra virgin olive oil.
Learn it with us in Sardinia
A recipe helps, but the movement is best learned by watching someone who has done it all their life. In our fresh pasta class we knead, shape and cook together, and then sit down to eat. Besides Sardinian gnocchetti you can choose culurgiones, ravioli or gnocchi, and you can stay with us at Sa Domo de s'Olia.
