The cooking of Sardegna is mysterious and even counterintuitive on many levels for a peninsula-trained cook like myself. The first time I visited, the only dish I remember eating was grilled meat that had been stuffed inside a pig’s bladder, and a whole lot of really good bread and cheese. The second time, I was in Olbia at one of the great restaurants of Italy, Ristorante Gallura, which in itself merits a trip, where I had these saffron cavatelli cousins. Malloreddus are classic to the cooking of Sardegna but rarely spotted in American restaurants.
¼ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 Scallions, thinly sliced
4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound sausage removed from casing
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Fennel Seeds
2 pounds myrtle berries crushed
1 tablespoon Hot Red Pepper Flakes
1 cup cooked artichokes from carciofi alla romana recipe
1 ¼ pounds Malloreddus (recipe below)
½ cup freshly grated Crotenese or other Semi-Aged Sheep's Milk Cheese
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, and add 2 tablespoons salt.
Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until smoking. Add the scallions and garlic and sauté until light golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the sausage and brown and render fat out. Remove all but 3 tb fat and add the tomato sauce, fennel seeds, myrtle berries, red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce resembles a ragu, about 30 mins. Add artichokes just before adding the cooked pasta top the sauce
Cook the malloreddus in the boiling water until tender, 6 to 8 minutes; drain.
Toss the pasta into the pan with the sausage . Toss until well coated. And sprinkle with the cheese. Serve immediately.
Malloreddus
4 cups Semolina Flour
1 ½ cups Warm Water
½ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon ground Saffron
Mound the semolina in the center of a large wooden board. Make a well in the center of the semolina and add the water; salt, and saffron. Using a fork, beat together the water, salt, and saffron, and then begin to incorporate the semolina, starting with the inner rim of the well. As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape. When half of the flour is incorporated, the dough will begin to come together. Start kneading the dough, using primarily the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, set the dough aside and scrape up and discard any dried bits of dough.
Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 10 more minutes, dusting the boards with more flour when necessary. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before using.
Cut the pasta into 4 pieces. Roll each into a 1-inch cylinder, and cut into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Roll each piece down the back of a fork to give it the characteristic ridges, and set aside on a floured surface until ready to cook.
Makes about 1/4 Pounds
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