Lorighittas al Sugo di Galletto (Italian Sardinian Braided Pasta with Rooster Ragù)
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Lorighittas al Sugo di Galletto (Italian Sardinian Braided Pasta with Rooster Ragù)
Lorighittas are the hand braided pasta rings of Morgongiori. This version pairs their firm, irregular surface with a slowly cooked rooster ragù whose meat is pulled from the bone and returned to a concentrated tomato and wine sauce.
Ingredients
Pasta: 3 1/3 cups (500 g) fine durum semolina; about 1 cup (240 ml) warm water; 2 tsp (10 g) salt. Ragù: 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) bone in rooster or mature chicken; olive oil; onion; carrot; celery; garlic; 3/4 cup (180 ml) red wine; 3 cups (720 g) crushed tomatoes; 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock; bay; rosemary; parsley; Pecorino Sardo.
Step by Step Preparation
1. Knead semolina, water and salt for 12 to 15 minutes and rest 30 minutes. 2. Roll thin ropes. 3. Wrap twice around three fingers, cut, then twist the two loops together into the characteristic braided ring. 4. Dry on semolina dusted trays. 5. Brown rooster pieces in olive oil and reserve. 6. Sweat onion, carrot and celery. 7. Deglaze with red wine. 8. Add tomatoes, stock and herbs and braise the rooster about 1 1/2 hours. 9. Debone, pull the meat and return it to the reduced sauce. 10. Boil lorighittas until firm, then toss with ragù, a little pasta water, pecorino and olive oil.
Professional Technique
Firm, well developed semolina dough preserves the braid during boiling. The rooster must braise on the bone before being pulled so the sauce gains gelatin and depth.
Chef Tips
Keep dough covered, form rings of consistent size and use mature free range chicken if rooster is unavailable.
Common Mistakes
Soft dough, dry dough during shaping, uneven ropes, oversized rings, boneless breast meat and an overly wet ragù are common failures.
Serving and Presentation
Keep the braided rings visible on a warm wide plate and distribute rooster meat naturally rather than burying the pasta under sauce.
Wine Pairing
Monica di Sardegna is excellent; a medium bodied Cannonau is a richer alternative.
Storage and Reheating
Keep uncooked fresh lorighittas refrigerated up to 1 day or freeze in a single layer. Ragù keeps 3 days refrigerated.
Nutrition per Serving
Approximate per serving: 640 calories, 39 g protein, 72 g carbohydrates, 21 g fat and 780 mg sodium.
Comments