Sardinia — malloreddus are the most ancient documented Sardinian pasta, referenced in 16th-century sources. The campidanese sauce is specifically from the Campidano plain (Cagliari and Oristano provinces). The saffron cultivation in Sardinia is documented from the Nuragic period.
Malloreddus (also called gnocchetti sardi) are the defining Sardinian pasta — small, ridged, shell-shaped semolina dumplings made with just semolina and water, flavoured with saffron (lo zafferano di Sardegna, the Sardinian saffron cultivated around Villanova Monteleone), which colours the pasta a distinctive golden hue. Alla campidanese means in the style of the Campidano plain (the agricultural heartland of southern Sardinia) — with a sauce of coarse Sardinian pork sausage (salsiccia sarda) crumbled and cooked with tomato, onion, and fresh basil, finished with Pecorino Sardo. The combination of saffron pasta and pork ragù is the most celebrated Sardinian primo.
Malloreddus alla campidanese in the bowl is golden from the saffron-tinted pasta, deep red from the tomato-pork sauce, pale from the Pecorino Sardo over the top. The malloreddus have a satisfying chew — semolina-firm — and the ridges hold the sauce in each groove. The pork sausage provides richness; the saffron an aromatic, slightly floral note; the Pecorino Sardo a sharp, slightly acidic finish.
Malloreddus dough: 300g semola rimacinata, pinch of saffron dissolved in 100-120ml warm water, salt. Mix to a firm dough; knead 10 minutes; rest 30 minutes. Roll into ropes of 1cm diameter; cut 1cm lengths. Roll each piece over a ridged board (rigagnocchi) or the back of a fork to create the characteristic ridges and hollow. For the sauce: crumble Sardinian pork sausage (remove casing) into a pan; cook in olive oil until lightly browned; add sliced onion; soften. Add crushed tomatoes; simmer 30 minutes. Season. Cook malloreddus in abundant salted water 8-10 minutes; dress with the campidanese sauce and generous Pecorino Sardo Stagionato grated over.
Dried malloreddus (gnocchetti sardi) are widely available commercially from Italian pasta producers — the dried version works well and the quality is generally high. The Sardinian salsiccia sarda (seasoned with fennel seed, black pepper, and peperoncino) is the correct sausage; Italian pork fennel sausage is the closest substitute. Sardinian saffron (DO Zafferano di Sardegna) is more intensely flavoured than Spanish or Iranian saffron — use slightly less.
Dough too soft — malloreddus must be firm to hold their shape during the ridging and boiling; a soft dough produces shapeless lumps. Not dissolving the saffron in warm water before adding — undissolved saffron produces uneven colour and flavour. Missing the ridging step — the ridges are what hold the sauce; smooth malloreddus are not malloreddus.
Oretta Zanini de Vita, Encyclopedia of Pasta; Slow Food Editore, Sardinia in Cucina