There is something so magical about making pasta from scratch. Homemade pasta is a true labor of love where the reward – a big bowl of warm, saucy pasta – is undoubtedly worth the effort.
One of my favorite homemade pastas are these gnocchetti sardi, also known as malloreddus. They are small, adorable-looking gnocchi from Sardinia, traditionally made with semolina flour, saffron, and water.
Because of the semolina flour, these gnocchi have a toothy and addicting texture. Traditionally, they’re paired with a hearty meat ragu or a tomato sauce. Here, I pair them with a classic tomato butter sauce, a simple yet deliciously comforting recipe from Marcella Hazan.
Table of Contents
Why You Should Try This Dish
I know making pasta from scratch can feel intimidating, but I’m here to walk you through every step of the process. This is a great weekend project when you have time to wind down, and it’s a fun way to spend time in the kitchen with friends and family. Homemade pasta can be such a fulfilling, meditative process. Once I’m in the swing of things, I love to put on a podcast or a relaxing music playlist as I form and cook the pasta.
Looking for more resources on making handmade pasta? Check out my Guide to Making Homemade Pasta.
Origins of Gnocchetti Sardi
This gnocchetti pasta recipe comes from Jenn Louis’s book, Pasta by Hand. It’s a wonderful cookbook that covers a wide range of lesser-known handmade pasta shapes across Italy. Jenn includes a little bit of history on each pasta shape which I really love.
These gnocchetti sardi translate to “little Sardinian gnocchi.” While many pasta doughs, including gnocchi, are made with eggs, historically, these gnocchetti never used them. Instead, the dough incorporates semola rimacinata flour, water, and saffron. During the peak of the spice trade, saffron was plentiful and cheap. On the other hand, eggs were quite expensive, so home cooks used saffron to dye the dough yellow and mimic the appearance of eggs.
These gnocchi have a similar appearance to cavatelli but are a bit more toothy to the bite. The dough is cut up into small, pillow-shaped chunks, and each chunk is rolled then cut into cubes. Traditionally, each cube was rolled against a straw basket called a ciuliri to create a ridged texture. You can also use a ridged gnocchi board or the tines of a fork. The best part about this textured pasta is that the sauce can easily cling to the grooves in the gnocchi.
Key Ingredients
For the Gnocchetti Sardi
These gnocchetti sardi have a short list of ingredients, but each one is critical!
- Semola rimacinata (di grano duro) flour: I make my gnocchetti sardi with semola rimacinata flour to yield a slightly coarse texture. Semola rimacinata is a fine-milled flour made from durum wheat, giving certain pasta shapes that al dente bite.
- Water: The combination of water and semola creates a dough that is then kneaded and shaped to form pasta. Usually, semolina-based doughs use a 2:1 ratio of flour to water.
- Saffron: Saffron brings a beautiful yellow color to the dough. My favorite saffron is from Diaspora Co, as it’s incredibly fresh and aromatic, but it can be pricey. You can also find saffron at most supermarkets and specialty spice shops.
For the Tomato Butter Sauce
I love that this tomato sauce uses lots of easily available pantry ingredients!
- Canned whole peeled tomatoes: I recommend using a high-quality canned tomato here. Because the tomato butter sauce is so simple, each ingredient will really stand out. Opt for a canned tomato brand with juicy, deep red tomatoes that are flavorful. Watery canned tomatoes just won’t do it! I love using Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, which you can often find at Whole Foods or through an online retailer.
- Butter: At first glance, it may seem like a lot of butter! But the butter is very important here, as it helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes. The resulting sauce is well-balanced, with a slight creaminess without being too rich.
- Onion: The onion offers a bit of sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Herbs: This isn’t part of the original recipe, but if you have some fresh basil or parsley lying around, it’s a great addition. You can either finely chop the herbs, then simmer them in the sauce, or leave them whole while simmering and discard them before serving.
How to Make Gnocchetti Sardi
First, let's talk through how to make the pasta. I have a quick video and step-by-step images to demonstrate this process!
Step 1 - Prepare the saffron water: Boil the water, then pour into a bowl with saffron. Add enough water to measure 159g total liquid (this ensures you have the correct ratio for the dough even if you lost some liquid when boiling the water). Steep the saffron for 10 minutes.
Step 2 - Make the dough: Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the semolina flour and salt. Set a fine mesh strainer over the bowl.
Pour the saffron water through the strainer. Make sure to push down on the threads with your fingers to extract any additional saffron water.
Knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes until it mostly comes together into a shaggy dough (it's okay if there are dry bits). Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes before kneading again; this step hydrates the dough so it's easier to knead later!
Knead the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the dough feels very smooth, non-sticky, and no dry bits remain.
Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
Step 3 - Form the gnocchetti: Slice a chunk of dough measuring the width of 2 fingers. Cover the remaining dough in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
Roll the chunk into a thin log with a ½-inch diameter. This step takes a bit of practice, but essentially, you want to spread your fingers out over the piece of dough with both hands and use your fingers to roll outwards. See my video for a visual demonstration!
Slice the log into ½-inch pieces. Using the side of your thumb, roll each piece against a gnocchi board or the back of the tines of a fork, rolling and flicking the dough to make a curled shape on one side and a ridged surface on the other.
Transfer the gnocchetti to the semola-dusted baking sheets, ensuring they don’t touch one another (otherwise they will stick). Repeat with the rest of the dough - I filled up two large baking sheets with gnocchi.
How to Make the Tomato Butter Sauce
Combine the tomatoes, butter, onion, and herbs (if using) in a medium saucepot over medium heat.
Simmer for 30 - 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, as you break down the tomato pieces with a wooden spoon. After simmering, the sauce will have thickened and no longer seem watery.
When the sauce is done, discard the onion and herbs. Boil the gnocchi until al dente, then transfer to the sauce, and serve!
Tips & Tricks
- Adjust for humidity: Making a good pasta dough requires observing the environment around you and making changes as needed. I always keep a small bowl of water beside me, so if I notice the dough feels dry as I'm kneading it, I wet my hands with the water to moisten the dough. This is especially helpful if you have trouble rolling rolling the dough into a rope; if it feels like there isn't any friction, a bit of water can be helpful. Use a little at a time - don't go overboard or the dough will be too wet! Conversely, if the dough is sticky after the 1 hour rest period, you can add a bit more semola flour on top.
- Try to Create an 'Opening' When Forming the Gnocchetti: As you form the gnocchetti, and drag the piece over itself, ensure there's a small opening between the left and right edges. If there is no opening, the dough will cook into a dense ball, instead of a curved shape.
- Use a Bench Scraper or a Smooth Knife to Form the Pasta: I find that my thumb gets tired VERY quickly when shaping these gnocchetti, so I'll often switch to a bench scraper and drag the pasta across the gnocchi board with the scraper.
- Have leftover pasta? Freeze it! I've included instructions below on how to easily freeze these gnocchi. They can be frozen for up to a month -- and it's a great way to cook a delicious meal on a random weeknight.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Storage Instructions
- Uncooked gnocchetti sardi can be refrigerated on the baking sheets covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 days. For long-term storage, freeze the pasta on the baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer the pasta to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Do not thaw prior to cooking.
- Refrigerate any leftover tomato butter sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftover gnocchetti sardi tossed in the tomato sauce can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheating Instructions
- Leftover tomato sauce (and leftover gnocchi in tomato sauce) can be reheated in the microwave or on a gentle simmer on the stove.
Note: Gnocchi in tomato sauce will continue to absorb the liquid so they will sort of lose their toothy bite and taste softer (similar to the texture of potato gnocchi) the next day. Where possible, I recommend storing the pasta and tomato sauce separately to preserve its texture.
FAQ
No! You can roll the gnocchi over the back of the tines of a fork to create a ridged texture.
You can puree the onion and spread it on toast or add the puree to another pasta sauce or soup. It’s very soft and sweet, so you can also just eat it on its own!
When cooked properly, the pasta should have a slightly chewy and toothy bite, but it shouldn’t taste raw. It’s difficult to overcook these, so if in doubt, feel free to continue cooking them for an additional minute or so.
Semolina flour is coarser in texture than semola rimacinata. So, while I have made them with semolina flour, it can be a bit more difficult to get the dough to come together (and you may need to add more water to compensate).
Gnocchetti Sardi (Malloreddus) with Tomato Butter Sauce
Equipment
- Scale, a scale is necessary for this recipe for accurate measurements!
- Fine-mesh strainer
- 2 18-inch by 12-inch baking sheets, or several smaller baking sheets
Ingredients
For the gnocchetti sardi (malloreddus):
- 160 g water
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
- 318 g semola rimacinata flour, plus more as needed
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ tsps extra-virgin olive oil
For the tomato butter sauce:
- 28 oz canned, whole peeled tomatoes, such as Bianco diNapoli or high-quality San Marzano tomatoes
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 onion, halved and peeled
- ¼ cup fresh whole basil or parsley, optional
- salt and black pepper
For serving:
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
- parmigiano-reggiano cheese, for garnish
Instructions
For the gnocchetti sardi (malloreddus):
- Place the saffron in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.¼ teaspoon saffron threads
- Bring water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. While waiting for the water to boil, set the bowl of saffron over a scale and 'tare' to 0. Once boiling, immediately pour the water into the bowl with the saffron and measure the amount of water. If it's less than 159g, add enough room temperature water until it's 159g of liquid total. Note: This step ensures you have the right ratio of water to flour for the dough. Cover the bowl, and steep for 10 minutes.160 g water
- Meanwhile, combine the semola flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set a fine mesh strainer over the bowl.318 g semola rimacinata flour, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- After the saffron steeps, pour the saffron water through the strainer into the bowl. Press down the saffron threads with your fingers to extract as much additional flavor as possible. Discard the threads.
- Add the olive oil to the bowl. Knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it comes together into a shaggy ball. The dough will feel rough, with wet and dry patches but hold together. Rest the dough for 10 minutes (this helps hydrate the dough). Then, knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it feels very smooth, non-sticky, and no dry bits remain.1 ¼ tsps extra-virgin olive oil
- Form the dough into a ball, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. Note: This resting time is critical, as it allows the dough to hydrate properly and relax the gluten.
- While the dough rests, prepare the tomato sauce (see instructions below).
- After the 1-hour rest period, examine the dough. If it feels sticky at all, knead in 1 teaspoon of semolina at a time until no longer sticky. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust the paper with semola flour.
- Working in pieces, slice a chunk of dough with a width of 1 ½ inches. Cover the remaining dough in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
- On an unfloured wooden cutting board, use your hands to roll the chunk into a thin log with a ½-inch diameter.
- Slice the log into ½-inch pieces. Using the side of your thumb, roll each piece against a gnocchi board or the back of the tines of a fork, rolling and flicking the dough to make a curled shape on one side and a ridged surface on the other. Note: See my explanations in the post above if you have trouble visualizing this method.Transfer the gnocchetti to the baking sheets, ensuring they don’t touch one another (otherwise they will stick). Note: As long as you cook the pasta within 2 hours of shaping them, you don’t need to cover the gnocchetti to prevent them from drying out.
- Repeat with the remaining dough, cutting it into chunks, then rolling each chunk into a log and forming individual gnocchetti.
For the tomato butter sauce:
- In a medium stock pot or Dutch oven, combine the tomatoes with their juices, butter, onion, and herbs (if using) over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.28 oz canned, whole peeled tomatoes, 5 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 onion, ¼ cup fresh whole basil or parsley, salt and black pepper
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce to a low simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally and crushing any whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon. The sauce should thicken and it shouldn’t be watery anymore. Season again with salt and pepper.
- When the sauce is done, discard the onion and herbs. Remove from the heat until ready to serve. Note: The leftover onion can be pureed and spread on toast or simply eaten on its own!
Cook and serve the gnocchi:
- Set a large pot of water over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.
- Season generously with salt, then add the gnocchetti and simmer until they float to the surface, about 3-5 minutes. When done, they should taste al dente (but not raw) and float to the surface. When in doubt, cook for an additional minute or two as needed.Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
- Meanwhile, set the pot of tomato sauce over low heat to simmer.
- Remove the pasta with a slotted spoon and transfer to the pot with tomato sauce. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to the pot, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta. If needed, add more pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Season again with salt and pepper and transfer pasta to serving bowls. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with cheese. Serve hot.Extra-virgin olive oil, parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Video
Notes
Tomato Butter Sauce Recipe adapted from Essentials of Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan Tip #1 - Adjust for humidity: Making a good pasta dough requires observing the environment around you and making changes as needed. I always keep a small bowl of water beside me, so if I notice the dough feels dry as I’m kneading it, I wet my hands with the water to moisten the dough. This is especially helpful if you have trouble rolling rolling the dough into a rope; if it feels like there isn’t any friction, a bit of water can be helpful. Use a little at a time – don’t go overboard or the dough will be too wet! Conversely, if the dough is sticky after the 1 hour rest period, you can add a bit more semola flour on top. Tip #2 - Use a Bench Scraper or a Smooth Knife to Form the Pasta: I find that my thumb gets tired VERY quickly when shaping these gnocchetti, so I’ll often switch to a bench scraper and drag the pasta across the gnocchi board with the scraper. Storage Instructions
- Uncooked gnocchetti sardi can be refrigerated on the baking sheets covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 days. For long-term storage, freeze the pasta on the baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer the pasta to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Do not thaw prior to cooking.
- Refrigerate any leftover tomato butter sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftover gnocchetti sardi tossed in the tomato sauce can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Leftover tomato sauce (and leftover gnocchi in tomato sauce) can be reheated in the microwave or on a gentle simmer on the stove.
