At 70 miles wide and 175 miles long, Sardinia is known as the second-largest island in the Mediterranean. As you would expect in such a huge region, each area has its own specialities. From carciofi, faba, and lumache in Sassari to sheep’s cheese, fresh ricotta, and white wine in Pecorino, you can easily find many distinctive dishes anywhere on this beautiful island. For those who are going to embark on holidays, here are top 5 foods to eat in Sardinia.
1. Pan’e saba
Literally bread and saba, pan’e saba is a traditional dessert in Sardinia. It is often cooked on the first week of November during the special days of Christianity. The dish is typically aromatic and sweet which often serves as the delicacy during Easter and Christmas. The production of cooked wine or saba, a popular condiment used in many recipes in Italy, often starts at the end of the harvesting season, so make sure to make the right plan if you want to enjoy this delicious dish.
2. Charcuterie
Just like other cured pork dishes in Italy like salsiccia sarda, prosciutto, and pancetta, charcuterie is typically a cross between sausage and salami. In general, it is often a mix of fat and lean pork seasoned with pepper, anise, and fennel, then stuffed into the intestines which have been soaked in vinegar or wine. The ends should be tied together to create a horseshoe. If you want to eat the tastiest charcuterie, try the rustic version that is made from smoked myrtle and wild boar. Also, there is a lamb sausage, combined with beef, and goat sausage which isn’t for the faint-hearted due to its smells.
3. Pane carasau
A traditional flatbread in Sardinia, pane is crisp and thin, often in haft-a-meter wide shape. It is cooked by taking a baked flat bread which is made of water, yeast, salt, and durum wheat flour, then dividing into 2 sheets and baking again. The recipe was created in the ancient times by the shepherds, who stayed far away from home for a few months. That’s why pane carasau would last up to 1 year in a dry form. If you want wet bread, just eat it with sauces, wine, or water.
4. Bottarga
Bottarga is a Sardinian delicacy of cured, salted fish roe, often of the bluefin tuna or grey mullet. These types of fish can be found in coastlines all over the world, but they are typically featured in Mediterranean specialities. This dish can have many different names as well as can be prepared in various ways to meet the tastes of the caters.
5. Lamb artichoke
By tradition, lamb artichoke is often cooked by Sardinian locals during the Easter. As the island is home to millions of sheep and massive areas of fresh artichokes, you can feel the freshness and tastefulness of this dish. Firstly, the lamp should be stewed in 1 hour to get rid of its smell, then you need to add artichokes and wait for about 20 minutes. To enhance the appetite, you can taste this dish with Vernaccia wine.
