Serves 4
Directions
- 1Heat a pan on medium-low heat with a good drizzle of olive oil.
- 2Add the finely chopped white onions to the pan.
- 3Add a pinch of salt to the onions, stir, and cook them slowly until soft.
- 4Chop the sausages into small bite-sized pieces.
- 5Add the chopped sausages and fennel seeds to the pan with the softened onions.
- 6Pour in the white wine (Vermentino or Sauvignon Blanc) and cook it off.
- 7Add the tomato passata to the pan.
- 8Rinse the tomato tin with a little bit of water and add it to the ragu.
- 9Add saffron powder (or ground saffron threads) to the ragu.
- 10Give the ragu a good stir and slow cook it on a medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes.
- 11Boil water for the pasta, add salt, and cook the Gnocchetti Sardi or Malloreddus.
- 12Taste and adjust the ragu for seasoning.
- 13Combine the cooked ragu and pasta.
- 14Add a ladle of pasta water to the mixture.
- 15Continue cooking on a medium to medium-low heat, stirring until the sauce begins to cling to the pasta.
- 16Serve with grated pecorino cheese on top.
Ingredients
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 500 g fennel sausage or plain sausage
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 100 ml Vermentino or a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
- 800 g tomato passata
- 15 g fresh basil
- 1 pinch ground saffron threads
- 200 ml water
- 400 g Gnocchetti Sardi or Malloreddus
- pecorino, to serve
- 1 pinch salt
Equipment
pan
Tips
- Chop the sausages into small bite-sized pieces.
- Use Vermentino wine if possible, as it's traditional in Sardinia.
- Rinse the tomato tin with a little bit of water and add it to the ragu.
- The saffron brings together the sweetness of the sausage ragu and the earthiness and nuttiness of the durum wheat semolina in the pasta.
- Add a ladle of pasta water to the ragu and pasta mixture.
- Keep stirring the pasta and ragu until the sauce starts holding onto the pasta.
- Finish with grated pecorino cheese on top.
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