Add the semolina flour to a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the semolina and add the water to the center of that well, along with the olive oil and salt. Use a fork to mix the semolina with the rest of the ingredients. When a dough has formed, transfer to a flat surface.

Begin kneading the dough. If the dough sticks to your palms, add 1 tablespoon of semolina at a time, until you can knead the dough without it sticking to your palms. If the dough seems too dry, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead for approximately 10 minutes. Stop kneading when the dough becomes smoother and tears less easily during the kneading process. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

After the dough has rested, tear a small piece of dough (about the size of a golf ball) and roll it into a thin snake shape, about ¾ inch wide. Cover the remaining dough with plastic wrap. Use a bench scraper to cut the snake of dough into little squares, about ¾ inch. Place a piece of dough on a fork and press down gently with your thumb while rolling the dough forward slightly along the tines of the fork. You should end up with a ridged, shell-looking shape (see pictures). If the dough doesn’t roll along with your thumb, gently push the dough into a shell shape. If you push too hard, the dough can get stuck in the fork tines and won’t roll. Repeat this process with the rest of the dough, storing the finished malloreddus on a rimmed baking sheet dusted with semolina flour and covered with a towel until all the pasta is formed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the malloreddus to the boiling water and stir gently to prevent them from sticking. The malloreddus will quickly rise to the surface of the boiling water. When they’re all floating at the top of the water, cook for two additional minutes, then remove them from the boiling water and set them aside for a moment. Toss them in a tiny drizzle of olive oil so that they don’t stick to each other.

If you want to freeze the malloreddus, place the rimmed baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour and then transfer (along with any semolina on the sheet) to an air-tight storage container. We use freezer bags. They will keep in the freezer for up to a few months. Cook them right from the freezer following the directions above. They will just take a little longer to float to the top.