Malloreddus

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 150 g semolina (durum wheat)
• 50 g flour
• 80 ml water
• ½ can saffron
• smoked salt
• Flour for the work surface
• salt water

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 13 hours 10 minutes

Saffron pasta from Sardinia

Mix the flour with semolina and salt. Dissolve the saffron in lukewarm water and knead it with the semolina mixture for at least ten minutes (it’s worth the effort!) until you have a smooth dough. Add more water if the dough seems too dry. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes, then roll it into long balls. Cut the balls into small pieces, flatten each one with your thumb, and roll them over a floured, ridged surface until the ends almost touch (I use a sushi mat for this, but you can also imagine using a fork to create the ridges). Dry the malloreddus side by side for at least 12 hours. Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the malloreddus for about 10-15 minutes until al dente (the cooking time depends on the consistency of the dough). The pasta tastes great with meat dishes with sauce (I like rabbit ragu) or simply with tomato sauce or tossed in butter with Parmesan cheese.