Malloreddus alla Campidanese
Malloreddus tossed with sausage, garlic, chili, Vermentino, saffron, and pecorino in a fast Sardinian pan sauce.
Ingredients
Pasta
Sauce
Finish
Seasoning
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Instructions
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
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Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet and gently fry the chopped garlic and chili.
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Add the sausage in small pieces and brown it well, breaking it up with a spoon. Deglaze with the Vermentino and let it reduce.
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Cook the sausage mixture for about 15 minutes, adding a splash of water only if it starts to catch.
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Cook the malloreddus until al dente and reserve a little pasta water.
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Dissolve the saffron in 1 tablespoon of pasta water and add it to the sausage pan.
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Add the drained malloreddus and toss until coated. Finish with grated pecorino and serve immediately.
Storage & Meal Prep
Best as soon as it is tossed. Reheat gently with a spoonful of water if needed.
Variations
- Less Spicy: Use half the chili or leave it out if your sausage is already seasoned.
- With More Pecorino: Finish more generously for a saltier, drier finish.
- Tomato-Broth Sunday Version: For a softer Sunday-style sauce, start with onion, garlic, and bay leaf, add a spoonful of tomato paste, loosen with a ladle of broth, and finish with pecorino instead of keeping the sauce completely dry.
- Classic Tomato Campidanese Version: Another source goes further and simmers sausage with onion, white wine, tomato pulp, basil, and saffron before dressing the pasta with pecorino.
- Plant-Based Version: Use a fennel-heavy plant-based sausage and keep the same saffron finish.
FAQ
Does this version use tomato?
No. This version is built as a faster sausage, wine, and saffron condiment rather than a tomato sauce.
Can I make it with tomato paste and broth instead?
Yes. One softer variation cooks the sausage with onion, garlic, bay leaf, white wine, a little tomato paste, and broth before the malloreddus are tossed in and covered with pecorino. It stays in the same dish family, just with a looser and slightly more braised finish.
Is there also a long-simmered tomato version?
Yes. Some Campidanese home versions build a fuller sauce with onion, tomato pulp, basil, saffron, white wine, and a longer simmer before the malloreddus are added.
What wine should I use?
A dry Vermentino is the most Sardinian fit, but any crisp dry white wine works.
When does the saffron go in?
Near the end, dissolved in a little pasta water, so it perfumes the sauce without cooking away.
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The Story Behind This Dish
In the Campidano, Malloreddus alla Campidanese belongs on the Sardinian home table. I build it around malloreddus, sausage, and garlic.
I bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. I warm the olive oil in a wide skillet and gently fry the chopped garlic and chili.
I dissolve the saffron in 1 tablespoon of pasta water and add it to the sausage pan. I add the drained malloreddus and toss until coated. I finish with grated pecorino and serve immediately.
Part of: The Sardinian Kitchen
Prerequisite: Malloreddus with Tomato and Saffron - The simpler version
Next: Culurgiones - The showstopper stuffed pasta
Related: Sardinian Pasta Recipes | Sardinian Ingredients Guide
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