Maccarrones de Busa

Name: Maccarrones de Busa
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sarda
Ingredients: 400 g fine durum wheat semolina (semola rimacinata); 200 ml warm water; 5 g Fine sea salt; 30 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium Yellow onion; 1 clove Garlic; 800 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes; 4 leaves Fresh basil; 80 g fiore sardo pdo or pecorino sardo stagionato

Maccarrones de busa, also known as maccarrones de ferru, are handmade Sardinian hollow pasta quills shaped around a thin knitting rod, served in a rich tomato sauce with savoury pecorino cheese.

🇮🇹Italy· Sardinia

Prep: 50 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 85 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 490 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

400 g fine durum wheat semolina (semola rimacinata) — plus extra for dusting
200 ml warm water — approximate, as needed for a firm dough
5 g Fine sea salt — for the dough
30 ml Extra virgin olive oil — Sardinian olive oil preferred
1 medium Yellow onion — finely chopped
1 clove Garlic — peeled and lightly crushed
800 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes — crushed by hand
4 leaves Fresh basil — torn
80 g fiore sardo pdo or pecorino sardo stagionato — finely grated, raw sheep's milk cheese

Equipment

•Thin knitting needle or metal skewer (busa)
•Wooden pasta board
•Large saucepan
•Large pot for pasta
•Colander

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 490 kcal
fat: 12 g
carbs: 76 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 18 g
calories: 490 kcal

Instructions

1
Tip the semolina onto a wooden board, make a wide well, and dissolve the salt in warm water.
2
Pour the water gradually into the well, drawing in the semolina until a rough dough forms.
3
Knead firmly for ten minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and dense.
4
Cover the dough with an upturned bowl and rest it at room temperature for thirty minutes.
5
Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the onion and crushed garlic.
6
Cook gently for eight minutes until the onion collapses and turns sweet, without letting it brown.
7
Add the crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt, then simmer gently for twenty-five minutes until thickened.
8
Cut the rested dough into four pieces, roll each into a thin rope about five millimetres thick, and slice into four-centimetre lengths.
9
Place a thin metal needle diagonally across each small dough piece and roll firmly under your palm to hollow and lengthen the tube.
10
Gently slide the hollow pasta quill off the needle onto a lightly floured tea towel.
11
Boil the pasta in salted water for four to six minutes until tender with a pleasant bite.
12
Drain the pasta, stir through the hot tomato sauce and torn basil, and serve immediately topped with grated Fiore Sardo.

Chef's tips

Roll the knitting rod with firm, even palm pressure so the hollow centre seals completely without sticking to the metal. If the dough clings to the needle, dust the wooden board very lightly with semolina before rolling each piece.

Ingredient substitutions

Fiore Sardo PDO → Pecorino Romano PDO, though it has a sharper and saltier edge
thin knitting needle (busa) → a smooth, thin stainless steel barbecue skewer

Storage

Store leftover dressed pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a wide frying pan over low heat with a splash of water and a drizzle of olive oil.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding too much water to the dough, which makes it too soft to slide cleanly off the needle.
•Rolling the pasta cylinders too thickly, resulting in an overly dense and chewy centre when boiled.

Serving suggestions

Serve in shallow ceramic bowls with extra grated Fiore Sardo on the side.Accompany with crisp sheets of Sardinian pane carasau and a glass of Cannonau red wine.