Malloreddus, Sardinia on your plate

Malloreddus, radiatori, Marille or even Mandala, does that mean anything to you?

These are all pasta products that are not well known to the general public, but which have one thing in common: their surprising and original shapes.

 The first of them we are interested in is known in Sardinia, and more particularly in Campidano in the south, where it is emblematic.

 Malloreddus are pasta shaped like small gnocchi, called gnocchetti sardi or cigiones. The outer surface is strongly corrugated, and the inner surface is concave.

 As original as they are delicious, they are traditionally made with durum wheat semolina and saffron.

 Malloreddus are usually served with fresh tomatoes and basil or with meat sauces, such as Campidanese, accompanied by Sardinian sausages.

 Here is the recipe for 2 people:

 – 250 grams of Sardinian gnocchetti

 – 200g tomato coulis

 – 1/2 onion

 – 250g Sardinian sausage

 – 1 pinch of saffron

 – A few fennel seeds

 – Sardinian pecorino

 “Cut the onions into small pieces;

 Cut the sausages lengthways to remove the meat;

 In a frying pan with a little olive oil, brown the onions and add the sausage meat;

 Then add the fennel seeds and the tomato coulis;

 Add the fennel seeds and the tomato coulis and leave to simmer after adding the saffron. To make the best use of the saffron, dilute it in half a glass of lukewarm water and add it to the preparation;

 Heat up salted water and cook the malloreddus;

 Drain the malloreddus and add them to the sauce;

 Sprinkle the pasta with the pecorino cheese and serve hot.

Enjoy your meal!