Saffron Malloreddus Nduja Pangrattato

Sfoglini’s Saffron Malloreddus are paired with spicy ‘Nduja, sweetly caramelized shallots, and lemon in this quick, flavorful meal that is crowned with a fragrant and crunchy pangrattato (a crispy, seasoned Italian breadcrumb mix). The creamy sauce is held perfectly by the Malloreddus, which absorb the flavors of the sauce during the final phase of cooking. 

INGREDIENTS

MAKES FOUR - SIX SERVINGS

For the pangrattato:

• 2-4 slices of sandwich bread, torn into several pieces
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 2-3 saffron threads, crushed (optional)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

For the pasta:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large shallots, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 pound Sfoglini Saffron Malloreddus
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ cup mascarpone
• 1-2 ounces ‘Nduja
• The juice and zest from one lemon
• 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced basil
• 2 cups grated Pecorino cheese, plus more to serve

DIRECTIONS

To make the pangrattato, heat the oven to 175° F. Pulse the bread in a food processor or blender until the pieces are the size of panko bread crumbs, about 1/8”. Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet, turn the heat off, and leave in the oven for up to 1 hour. Measure out 1 cup of bread crumbs, discarding the rest. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, for several minutes, until they are almost golden brown. Watch them carefully because they will go from perfectly cooked to burned very quickly. Transfer them very quickly to a plate and stir in the saffron threads. Taste and season with salt and red pepper flakes if desired. Set aside to cool. 

For the pasta, heat the butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is soft and translucent, about 20-30 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to make sure the shallots don’t burn. 

While the shallots cook, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Begin cooking the pasta. 

Add the garlic to the shallot and cook for 1 minute, until the raw garlic smell is gone. Stir in the mascarpone, nduja, and lemon juice/zest. Remove from heat. 

When the pasta is nearly to al dente, scoop 1 cup of water from the pot. Add about half of it to the skillet and return the heat to medium low, stirring the water in. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly from the water to the skillet and stir it into the sauce. Let it simmer for a couple minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Adjust the heat to low if it starts bubbling too rapidly, and stir in the rest of the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce is too thick. Remove from heat and stir in the Pecorino and half the herbs. 

Serve topped with the pangrattato, remaining herbs, and extra Pecorino. 

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Chef’s Note: The pangrattato can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container. ‘Nduja can be quite spicy. Use it carefully, or omit it entirely for a mild version of this dish. 

Pasta Swaps: This recipe would also work well with Sfoglini Bigoli, Radiators, or Cavatelli.