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Sardinian Gnocchetti with Sausage and Asparagus

17/11/2023

Here is a recipe to prepare Sardinian gnocchetti with sausage and asparagus, a simple but flavorful dish that combines the typical pasta from Sardinia with rustic and spring ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 320 g of Sardinian gnocchetti (or malloreddus)
  • 300 g of fresh sausage
  • 1 bunch of asparagus
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Extra virgin olive oil as needed
  • Salt as needed
  • Pepper as needed
  • Grated Parmesan or Sardinian pecorino, to serve (optional)

Preparation

  1. Clean the asparagus by removing the hardest part of the stem. Wash the remaining stems and cut them into pieces of about 2 cm. Set aside the tips which you will add towards the end of cooking to preserve their texture.
  2. In a large pan, sauté a clove of garlic with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. When the garlic becomes golden, remove it and add the crumbled sausage. Cook the sausage over medium heat, crushing it with a wooden spoon to crumble it further.
  3. When the sausage is well-browned, add the asparagus pieces (excluding the tips), salting lightly. Cover with a lid and let it stew for a few minutes so that the asparagus softens.
  4. In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Sardinian gnocchetti and cook them according to the package instructions, maintaining an al dente texture.
  5. A few minutes before the gnocchetti are ready, add the asparagus tips to the sausage sauté and let them cook until they are tender but still crisp.
  6. Drain the al dente gnocchetti, saving some of the cooking water, and transfer them to the pan with sausage and asparagus. Toss everything together for a minute to blend the flavors, adding some of the cooking water if necessary to achieve a creamy texture.
  7. Plate the gnocchetti, add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or Sardinian pecorino if desired, and serve immediately.

Fun Fact

Sardinian gnocchetti, also known as malloreddus, are a typical pasta shape from Sardinia. Tradition dictates that they are handmade, shaping them on the ridged surface of a board called “ciuliri” or using a tool named “malloreddus”. Their concave and ridged shape is perfect for holding sauces. This dish enhances the combination of meaty sausage with the freshness of asparagus, creating a delightful contrast for the palate.