Easy Homemade Gnocchetti (Malloreddus)

Gnocchetti, also known as Malloreddus, is one of my favorite pasta shapes to make. You can make them completely by hand and you only need to 2 ingredients to make the dough. It doesn’t get much simpler than that!

This pasta shape goes by many different names. It is often called Sardinian Gnocchi or Gnocchi Sardi. While typical gnocchi is made with potato this traditional Sardinian pasta uses a similar shape but only uses semolina flour and water.

How to Make Gnocchetti

Gnocchetti is a great type of pasta for home cooks to try if they haven't made pasta too many times. It is a simple dough recipe and they are so much fun to make. Here are the high-level steps to make homemade gnocchetti.

1. Start by mixing together your semolina flour and water.
2. Knead the dough until it’s nice and smooth.
3. Let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes
4. Roll out the dough in ropes and cut it into small pieces.
5. Using a pasta board roll each piece to create your gnocchetti!

What Sauce Goes with Gnocchetti

This homemade gnocchetti pasta has a chewy texture and the perfect shape to hold in your pasta sauce.

The beauty of this gnocchetti Sardi recipe is that it pairs well with a wide variety of sauces. You can just toss it with sauce you already have on hand or you can make something new. I love serving this pasta with the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, a vodka sauce, or mixing it with a homemade pesto sauce. You could also have it with a simple tomato sauce or just some olive oil and fresh tomatoes.

Tips for Making the Best Gnocchetti

• Use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients. You can use measuring cups but measuring by weight will make sure you get a more accurate flour-to-water ratio. If you are interested in making pasta, pizza, or bread dough often a kitchen scale is worth it.
• Keep the dough you are not using covered. While you are rolling and shaping your gnocchetti you will have extra dough that is waiting to be used. Try to keep the rest of the dough covered so it doesn’t dry out. I just place it in the airtight container I was using to store it in the fridge but you could also just place a tea towel over the dough pieces.
• Place finished gnocchetti on a floured baking sheet. As you are working on shaping the pasta, place your finished pasta on a baking sheet that has been slightly dusted with flour. Make sure to keep them in a single layer. This will help keep the finished gnocchetti separate and also help them not stick together.

Common Question

What tools do I need to make homemade pasta?

For this pasta, all you need is your hands to knead the dough and some type of pasta board to roll the gnocchetti. Most gnocchi boards are small wooden boards with ridges in them like this one. There are others with different patterns as well. If you don't have a pasta board. you can use the back of a fork to get a similar effect but it is much easier with a gnocchi board.

Do I need to knead by hand?

I like kneading the dough by hand because then you get a feel for when it is getting smooth. If you don't want to do this you can also add your dough to a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and let it run on medium speed for 5 minutes.

Do I need to cook the pasta right away?

Once you make your pasta shapes you can cook right away or let them sit out for 1-2 hours at room temperature before baking. If you are waiting any longer than that you should cover them and add them to the fridge or freezer.