Malloreddus (gnocchetti Sardi) with sausage and fennel ragù

1. To make the gnocchi dough, add the saffron powder to the warm water, then beat into the semolina to form a dough.
2. Knead for 5 minutes until the dough becomes springy. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, make the ragù. Sauté the onions and garlic with the fennel seeds and bay leaf in a splash of oil until soft but not coloured.
4. Add the sausage meat, stir until nicely browned, then add the white wine and reduce by three quarters.
5. Add the tin of tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook down for around 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Keep warm
6. When ready to shape the malloreddus, cut off a piece off the dough and roll into a thin cylinder, around 0.7cm in diameter. Chop into pieces around 2.5cm long.
7. Repeat this process with the rest of the dough.
8. Using a gnocchi board, drag the dough pieces down the board with your thumb one at a time, creating ridged little curls; the perfect shape for collecting the ragù.
9. Leave the shapes to dry out on a tray sprinkled with semolina flour.
10. Cook in a pan of salted boiling water, they will float to the top when cooked.
11. Drain the malloreddus and stir into the ragù. Divide between plates and top with plenty of grated Pecorino Romano.

Malloreddus (gnochetti Sardi) with sausage and fennel ragù
by Great Italian Chefs

Courtesy of Great British Chefs www.greatbritishchefs.com