Culurgiones - Sardinian potato filled pasta

Don't be intimidated by the shape, it is a simple pinch one side then crimp to the other to reveal a beautiful wheat shaped pasta.  Recipe for Dough and Pasta is enough to make approximately 70 culurgiones.  Sauce is enough for 4 persons.  These are very filling pasta shapes, therefore for starters serve 6-8 culurgiones, and for main course serve 12-14.


For the dough

400g Plain 00 flour
300g Semola Flour
4 eggs
150ml water
1/2 tsp salt


For the Filling

1kg mashed potato
few strands of Saffron
3 heaped tbsp Grated Pecorino
Salt & Pepper to season

For the Sauce

150g maltese sausage
6 chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
few basil leaves
1/2cup pasta water
Grind of fresh Pepper
Grated pecorino to finish

Method

1. Prepare pasta by adding all ingredients in a food processor, and give short pulses until all combined
2. Transfer dough on a clean top, and knead until smooth
3. Wrap dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
4. Prepare filling by adding all ingredients together in a large bowl
5. Using clean hands knead to activate the potato gluten until mixture resembles the gnocchi dough
6. Take 1/10th of the dough and pass through pasta machine until approx 1mm thick
7. Cut circles using 6cm diameter ring.
8. Put a walnut size of potato filling on to each pasta circle
9. Make 5 at a time and cover the pasta with cloth as it dries out. 
10. Take the pasta circle in one hand, using the other hand, pinch from side to side to form the culurgiones
11. Bring a pan of water to boil, add 1 tsp salt
12. Add fresh culurgiones and boil for just 5 minutes.
13. Heat frying pan and fry small knobs of maltese sausage in olive oil
14. Add chopped sun dried tomatoes
15. Lift Culurgiones from boiling water and add directly to frying pan.
16. Add pasta liquid and butter and toss
17. Toss for about 30 seconds, adding basil leaves at the last 10 seconds
18. Serve topped with grated pecorino cheese