Malloreddus al Sugo di Agnello
Malloreddus (Sardinian ridged semolina pasta shells, also known as gnocchetti sardi) tossed in a rich, slow-braised inland lamb ragù and finished with savoury Fiore Sardo.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 75 min
- Total
- 100 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 620 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-based saucepan or Dutch oven
- •Large pasta pot
- •Colander
- •Wooden spoon
- •Fine cheese grater
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 620 kcal
- fat
- 21 g
- carbs
- 67 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 35 g
- calories
- 620 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Warm the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add the diced lamb and sear until deeply browned and sizzling, about six minutes.
- 3
Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, lowering the heat until the vegetables soften and turn sweet.
- 4
Pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned sediment, and simmer until the liquid reduces by half.
- 5
Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, and sea salt, stirring thoroughly to combine.
- 6
Cover with a tight lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for one hour until the lamb is meltingly tender.
- 7
Uncover during the last ten minutes to allow the sauce to thicken into a glossy, rich ragù.
- 8
Cook the malloreddus in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
- 9
Discard the bay leaf from the saucepan.
- 10
Drain the pasta, reserving two tablespoons of cooking water, and tip the pasta directly into the lamb sauce.
- 11
Toss the pasta and ragù together over low heat for one minute with the reserved water to coat evenly.
- 12
Fold in half the grated Fiore Sardo cheese and divide among warm bowls, scattering the remaining cheese over the top.
Chef's tips
Hand-dicing the lamb shoulder rather than using minced meat preserves the authentic rustic texture of a Barbagia mountain ragù. Fiore Sardo provides a distinct, slightly smoky sheep's milk tang that balances the sweetness of the slow-cooked meat.
Ingredient substitutions
- Fiore Sardo DOP → aged Pecorino Sardo or Pecorino Romano, though the flavour will be slightly sharper and lack the subtle wood smoke note
- dried malloreddus → dried cavatelli or small gnocchetti sardi, which hold chunky meat sauces equally well
Storage
Keep leftover pasta and ragù in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Warm gently in a wide pan over medium-low heat with two tablespoons of water, tossing until piping hot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using finely minced lamb instead of hand-cut diced meat, which makes the ragù muddy rather than chunky.
- •Boiling the lamb sauce too rapidly, which toughens the mountain lamb instead of breaking down the collagen.
- •Overcooking the malloreddus until soft, losing the essential firm chew needed to carry the thick sauce.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Malloreddus al Sugo di Agnello?
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