Gnochetti Sardi
This beautiful and simple dish hails from Sardegna. Unlike potato gnocchi it's made only with semolina and regular flour and is sauced with a rustic sugo of sweet Italian sausage, San Marzano tomatoes, white wine and a pinch of saffron.
Ingredients
- 1.2 cups semolina flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 can (28 oz) San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 pinch of saffron
- 2 sweet Italian sausages, removed from casings
- 1 medium white or spring onion, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- Pecorino Sardo or Pecorino Romano
Instructions
- Make the sauce: heat olive oil over medium heat with onion and bay leaf. Add salt and sweat 2-3 minutes. Add sausage, break up, cook 8-10 minutes.
- Add white wine and saffron, cook 10 minutes until reduced by 20%. Add San Marzano tomatoes, break up, simmer 1 hour. Season to taste.
- Make the dough: combine flours in a bowl with a well. Add olive oil and water to center. Incorporate with a fork, then knead by hand. Rest 30 minutes wrapped in plastic.
- Roll dough into cylinders, cut into small pieces. Roll each piece off a floured fork to create indentations.
- Boil gnocchi in salted water until they float (4-5 minutes).
- Transfer with a slotted spoon to the sauce. Toss over high heat for 1 minute.
- Plate and grate with Pecorino Sardo. Serve immediately.
💡 James' Tip
The saffron and sausage combination is what makes this dish distinctly Sardinian. Use real Pecorino Sardo if you can find it — it's sharper and more complex than Romano.
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