Made with malloreddus, a sort of semolina gnocchi, this dish is ever-present throughout the island. It’s one of the few Sardinian pastas that doesn’t come covered in bottarga, or dried roe.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 8 ounces Italian pork sausage, casing removed
- ¼ cup Vermentino or other dry white wine
- 2 cups canned or fresh tomato purée
- 1 pound fresh or dried malloreddus (or substitute cavatelli)
- Salt, to taste
- 3 ounces Pecorino Sardo cheese, grated
Directions
Warm oil in deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes, or until golden brown. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up into crumbles, until brown and crisp at edges. Add wine, then let evaporate.
Reduce heat to low. Add tomato purée and cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside 1 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain pasta and add pasta to pan with sauce. Stir well, until pasta is well coated. Add reserved pasta water as needed if sauce seems too thick. Add salt, to taste.
Transfer to serving plates, and top with Pecorino. Serves 4–6.
