Traditional food in Sardinia: Malloreddus alla Campidanese

The smell of childhood memories

 Photo Credits: zullag
 

It is very difficult to choose a unique taste to introduce Sardinia. I let myself be inspired by my childhood memories, those that metaphorically are the most genuine and simple.
The most vivid memory is linked to the summer and to a large family who used to spend its holidays in a small sea destination a few kilometers from Cagliari. It's been twenty years, but a plate of “Malloreddus alla Campidanese”, its taste and its intense fragrance has the power to recall those summer days, delete the homesickness and give me a moment of lightheartedness.

Malloreddus are a type of pasta typical of Sardinia, usually known and sell throughout the peninsula as "Sardinian gnocchetti." Made from durum wheat flour and saffron, Malloreddus are ridged conch shaped to catch sausage sauce and grated pecorino cheese. The "Malloreddus alla Campidanes" is a typical Sardinian recipe, exactly, it is the house special first course in the Campidano plain.

Here is what you will need for this recipe: 
500 g of malloreddus
150 g of fresh sausage
500 g of tomato puree
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic
½ onion
5 basil leaves
saffron
grated pecorino cheese
salt

The method is very simple and some little tricks will be enough to prepare a perfect plate of malloreddus!

Heat the oil in a pan and add minced garlic. Break the sausage into small pieces and add them in the pan. Stir occasionally until browned for about 10 minutes. Add the tomato puree, a pinch of salt , ½ teaspoon of sugar to remove the acidity and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Add the basil leaves and a little saffron previously dissolved in half a glass of warm water (a high quality of Sardinian saffron comes from San Gavino Monreale or Tuili).

Stir until the sauce thickens.
Boil the malloredus in salted water. Drain the pasta “al dente”, put it into the pan with the sauce and sprinkle the dish with grated pecorino cheese. You should use fresh Sardinian pecorino fresh cheese which is full flavor!

Serve very hot and please note that this typical Sardinian recipe goes wonderfully with
a glass of “Monica” wine.

  Photo Credits: truk80

Which is the smell of your childhood memories?
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