The Sardinian Kitchen
Sweet, buttery ricotta, lobster, red prawns and mullet from the Med, wild thyme, rosemary, myrtle and juniper, sun-ripened olives and citrus fruits, farm-raised lamb and suckling pig cooked on an open spit – nowhere does slow food like Sardinia. Throw in mountain and sea views, fine home-produced wines, own takes on pasta and winningly fresh farm produce and you are looking at a great culinary experience. Simple but great.
A Day at Sardinia's Table
Like most Italians, Sardinians rarely eat a sit-down colazione (breakfast), preferring a swift cappuccino and cornetto (croissant) standing at a bar. Out in the wilds, shepherds would start the day with a handful of bread and a slice of hard pecorino (sheep’s milk cheese).
Pranzo (lunch) remains a ritual observed by many Sardinians and is still considered the most important meal of the day. Workers can’t always get home, but across the island shops and businesses close for three to four hours to ensure lunch is properly taken and digested. A full meal will consist of an antipasto (starter) followed by a primo – usually a thick soup, pasta or risotto – and a secondo of meat or fish. Inlanders will invariably prefer meat, often served roasted or in thick stews. To finish alla sarda (in Sardinian style) go for cheese and a digestivo, perhaps a shot of grappa, although it is now usual to wind up with dessert and coffee. Look out for the good-value piatto del giorno (dish of the day).
Postwork aperitivo is taken between 5pm and 8pm, with an array of often-complimentary snacks to whet the appetite for dinner.
Cena (the evening meal) was traditionally a simpler affair, but as work habits change and fewer people eat lunch at home, it increasingly becomes the main meal of the day.
WHEN IN... TRY...
ACagliari Burrida, dogfish marinated in walnuts, garlic, vinegar and spices.
AGallura Zuppa cuata or zuppa gallurese, a heart-warming casserole comprising layers of bread, cheese and meat ragù, drenched in broth and baked to a crispy crust.
AOlbia Zuppa di cozze e vongole (garlicky clam and mussel soup), ricci (sea urchins) and ortidas (fried sea anemones).
ABarbagia Pecora in capoto, a hearty, flavoursome ewe stew.
AAlghero Aragosta alla catalana, lobster with tomato and onion, and ricci (sea urchins) when in season – March to April.
ACabras Muggini (mullet) and bottarga (mullet roe).
ANuoro & Ogliastra Fiore sardo pecorino, suckling lamb and pig, and wild boar.
Sardinian Cuisine
Daily Bread
Few experiences in Sardinia beat walking into a neighbourhood panetteria (bakery) in the morning, breathing in the yeasty aromas and feasting your eyes on the loaves of freshly baked bread. The Sardinians hold the humble loaf in high esteem and have come up with literally hundreds of types of bread, each one particular to its region and town. Traditional bakeries pride themselves on using durum wheat of the best quality and age-old kneading techniques.
For special occasions such as weddings and religious feast days, bread is elevated to an art form called su coccoi, with intricate floral wreaths, hearts and animals that are impossibly delicate and almost too pretty to eat.
Music Paper
As crisp as a cracker, as light as a wafer and thin enough for the sun to shine through, pane carasau, also known as carta da musica (music paper), is the star of Sardinia’s bread basket. It is ubiquitous in the rural interior, particularly in the Gallura, Logudoro and Nuoro regions, where it is still made by hand using the simplest of ingredients – durum wheat, water and a pinch of salt – and twice baked in a wood-fired oven to achieve its distinctive crispness. For centuries this long-lasting bread has been ideal for shepherds out in the pasture.
Brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pane carasau becomes a moreish snack known as pane guttiau. A fancier version often served as a first course is pane frattau, where pane carasau is topped with tomato sauce, grated pecorino and a soft-boiled egg.
CHEAP TREATS
These are our favourite snacks to nibble in Sardinia – yours for a fistful of change.
AFainè Chickpea-flour flatbread with pizza-like toppings. Particularly popular in Alghero and the island's northwest.
AGelato Ice cream for a piazza-side slurp.
APane carasau Crisp, cracker-like flatbread. The perfect picnic companion.
APizza al taglio Pizza by the slice.
APecorino Hard, nutty sheep's milk cheese. Goes well with fresh, crunchy bread.
Antipasti
A tasty Italian import, antipasti appear on almost every menu as a lead to primi (first courses). Antipasti di terra (‘of the land’) is often a mouthwatering assortment of homemade bread, cured ham, tangy Sardinian salami, olives and a range of cooked, raw and marinated vegetables such as artichokes and eggplant. There is also frittelle di zucchine (an omelette stuffed with zucchini, breadcrumbs and cheese). Along the coast you’ll find antipasti di mare (‘of the sea’), such as thinly sliced bottarga (mullet or tuna roe), the best of which comes from the lagoon town of Cabras. Cagliari is famous for its burrida (marinated dogfish).
Cheese, Glorious Cheese
Sardinia is an island of shepherds, so it’s hardly surprising that cheese-making is a fine art here. Cheese has been produced on the island for nearly 5000 years, and Sardinia makes about 80% of Italy’s pecorino (sheep’s milk cheese). Gourmands will delight in flavours and textures, from tangy pecorino sardo to smoked varieties, creamy goat cheeses (such as ircano and caprino), ricotta and speciality cheeses like canestrati, with peppercorns and herbs.
Fiore sardo, a centuries-old cheese recipe, is eaten fresh, smoked or roasted and packs a fair punch. It is traditionally made from ewe’s milk, but varieties such as fresa and peretta are made from cow’s milk. The most popular goat cheese is caprino, and the soft crema del Gerrei is a combination of goat milk and ricotta.
Only the bravest connoisseurs will want to sample formaggio marcio or casumarzu, quite literally a ‘rotten cheese’ alive with maggots!
MAGGOTY CHEESE, ANYONE?
Ask Sardinians about the island’s infamous casumarzu, ‘rotten cheese’ alive with maggots, and watch them raise a knowing eyebrow, snigger at hilarious memories of trying to eat the stuff, or else swiftly change the subject. Everyone, it seems, has a story or an opinion about the formaggio che salta (cheese that jumps). It’s creamier and tastier than anything you’ve ever tried, say some; it makes your skin crawl and festers in the gut, warn others.
If you were a horror-movie scriptwriter with a passion for pecorino you couldn’t make it up: pecorino deliberately infested with the larvae of the piophila casei cheese fly, whose digestive acids break down the cheese fats, advancing fermentation and rapidly leading to decomposition. The pungent liquid that oozes out of the cheese is called the lagrima (tear). When eating the cheese, locals cover it with one hand to stop the sprightly little larvae from jumping into their face – they can leap up to 15cm, apparently. Others prefer to remove the maggots by placing the cheese into a paper bag and letting them starve of oxygen.
Tempted? Well, even if you are, you would have to be pretty determined to find the cheese. Though considered a ‘traditional food’ exempt from EU health regulations, it is still illegal to sell and serve casumarzu, and most is produced for private consumption. Its elusiveness adds to its mystery: ask those same Sardinians where to find casumarzu and they will probably make a wide, sweeping gesture and tell you in the mountains…maybe. Head to the lonesome Barbagia in summer and with a little luck and one very strong stomach, you might just find a farmer willing to reveal his secret stash.
Sardinian Pasta
Sardinia generally has an individual way of doing things, and the island’s pasta is no different.
Malloreddus, dense shell-shaped pasta made of semolina and flavoured with saffron, is usually served with salsa alla campidanese (sausage and tomato sauce) and is sometimes called gnocchetti sardi. Another uniquely Sardinian creation is fregola, a granular pasta similar to couscous, which is often served in soups and broths.
Culurgiones (spelled in various ways) is a ravioli-like pasta that appears on many menus. Typically it has a ricotta or pecorino filling and is coated in a tomato and herb sauce.
Maccarones furriaos are strips of pasta folded and topped with a sauce (often tomato-based) and melted cheese. Maccarones de busa, or just plain busa, is shaped by wrapping the pasta around knitting needles.
Other pastas you may come across are pillus, a small ribbon pasta, and filindeu, a threadlike noodle usually served in soups.
On the Spit
Sardinia’s carnivorous heart beats to its own unique drum. Three specialities stand out: porceddu (suckling pig), agnello (lamb) and capretto (kid). These dishes are flavoured with Mediterranean herbs and spit-roasted.
The most famous of this culinary triumvirate is the porceddu (also spelled porcheddu), which is slow roasted until the skin crackles and the meat is meltingly tender, then left to stand on a bed of myrtle leaves.
Agnello is particularly popular around December, although it’s served year-round. Capretto is harder to find on menus, but it gets more common up in the mountains, where it is flavoured with thyme.
A country classic – and a rarity – is su carraxiu (literally ‘of the buried’) – the meat is compressed between two layers of hot stones, covered in myrtle and left to cook slowly in a hole dug in the ground.
Sards also have a penchant for game birds, rabbit and wild boar. A wonderful local sauce for any meat dish is al mirto – made with red myrtle, it is a tangy addition.
Fish & Seafood
Sardinians point out that they are by tradition pastori, non pescatori (shepherds, not fishermen). There is some tradition of seafood in Cagliari, Alghero, Cabras and other coastal towns, but elsewhere the phenomenon has arrived from beyond Sardinia.
At the top end of the scale, lobster (legally in season from March to August) is the local speciality, particularly in Alghero, where it’s served as aragosta alla catalana with tomato and onion. Muggine (mullet) is popular on the Oristano coast, and tonno (tuna) dishes abound around the Isola di San Pietro.
Cagliari also has a long tradition of seafood recipes that run the gamut from sea bream to bass, although the most famous is based on the local gattucio di mare (dogfish). Clams, cockles, octopus and crab also feature, as do eels around the marshes of Cabras. For something more adventurous, try orziadas (deep-fried sea anemones) and ricci (sea urchins).
Room for Dessert
Sardinia’s sweet trolley has always been constrained by the natural flavours of the island. Take the recipe for amarettes (almond biscuits): there are just three ingredients – almonds, sugar and eggs – but the biscuits are delightfully fluffy and moist.
Though traditionally an Easter recipe, you might spot pardulas (also known as casadinas and formagelle) in cake shops at other times of the year. These delectable mini cheesecakes are made from ricotta or pecorino, flavoured with saffron and baked in a crisp shell.
Other sweets and biscuits are strictly seasonal. Ossus de mortu (dead men’s bones) biscuits, infused with cinnamon and studded with almonds, are served on All Saints’ Day in November. After the grape harvest you’ll start to see papassinos de Vitzi (almond and sultana biscuits) and pabassinas cun saba, mixed with almonds, honey, candied and grape must. At festivities you may well come across sospiri di Ozieri, rich patties of minced almonds, sugar, honey and lemon glazed with icing, and coffettura, tiny baskets of finely shaved orange peel and almonds drenched in honey.
The island’s most famous dessert, however, is the seadas (or sebadas), a deliciously light pastry (vaguely like a turnover) stuffed with bran, orange peel and ricotta or sour cheese and then drenched in miele amaro (bitter honey).
A Sweet for Every Town
Sweets, tarts, cakes and biscuits – Sardinia’s dessert menu is rich and varied. Alongside the island staples, there’s a never-ending list of local specialities.
Every town has its own recipes in Sardinia. There is, for instance, a dolce (sweet) called papassino (from papassa, which means raisin) made all over Sardinia, but there many local variations, such as the one from Selargius which uses cinnamon and vino cotto (mulled wine).
These variations can reflect an area’s history, incorporating foreign influences into traditional recipes. Middle Eastern flavours predominate in the centre and south of Sardinia, where orange blossom, cinnamon and vanilla are used a lot. In the north, vino cotto and vino selvatico (wine from wild plants) are often used, while the agricultural centre uses pecorino to make casatinas. In Cagliari, sweets are made from ricotta and often infused with saffron.
Torrone (nougat), also made in Sicily, is found in Sardinia without the addition of sugar, so just with honey, egg whites, almonds and walnuts.
Many of Sardinia's regional sweets can be sampled and purchased at the wonderful Durke in Cagliari.
WE DARE YOU TO TRY...
ACasumarzu If you can find it, try this rotten pecorino alive with maggots.
ACordula Lamb tripe grilled, fried or stewed with peas.
AGranelle Calf’s testicles sliced, covered in batter and lightly fried.
ASalsiccia or salame di cavallo/d’asino Horsemeat or donkey sausages.
ATataliu or trattalia A mix of kidney, liver and intestines stewed or grilled on skewers. The dish is made with veal, lamb, kid or suckling pig.
AZimino russo A selection of roasted offal, usually from a calf, including the heart, diaphragm, liver, kidney and other red innards.
AZurrette A black pudding made of sheep’s blood cooked, like haggis, in a sheep’s stomach with herbs and fennel.
Sardinian Drinks
Coffee
The espresso is the standard coffee drink in Sardinia and is what you get if you ask for un caffè. Doppio espresso is a double shot and a caffè americano is a watered-down version. If you prefer your coffee with milk, there are various options. A caffè latte, regarded by locals as a breakfast drink, is coffee with a reasonable amount of milk. A caffè macchiato is an espresso with a dash of hot milk, and a latte macchiato is a glass of hot milk with a dash of coffee. The cappuccino is a frothy version of the caffè latte.
Wine
Sardinian wines might not be as venerated as those from Italy, but times are changing, as vintners push for a higher profile and quality gets better and better. Contemporary producers have started taming the mighty alcoholic content of their traditional blends and are now producing some light, dry whites and more sophisticated reds.
The best winegrowing regions for visitors are the Gallura for Vermentino whites; the Ogliastra, Baronia, Barbagia and Mandrolisai for Cannonau reds; and Sulcis in southwest Sardinia for Carignano reds and rosés.
On the whole Sardinian wine is very reasonably priced, with quality labels often available from around €10 to €15 per bottle. You can buy wine directly from the producer or from a cantina sociale (wine-producers’ cooperative). Lots of these organisations offer a degustazione (tasting). Many agriturismi (farm-stay accommodation) also produce their own wine, much of which is surprisingly good value. When dining out, house wine is inexpensive at between €5 and €10 for a litre; it generally comes in quarter-, half- and full-litre carafes.
WINE TASTING
You can buy and drink Sardinian wines at any enoteca (wine bar), but you’ll get far more out of a proper tasting. Here is our pick of the best wineries and cellars that open their doors for tastings.
ASella e Mosca Sardinia’s top wine producer has free guided tours of its museum. Sample wines such as pale, crisp Vermentinos and ruby red Cannonaus with a hint of oak.
ACantine Surrau A strikingly contemporary winery near Arzachena, with guided tours, art exhibitions and tastings. Be sure to try the intense, fruity Cannonau reds and the mineral-rich Vermentino whites.
ACantina del Vermentino Pass through the arch to descend to this winery, where you can taste and buy some of the finest Vermentino whites to be found in the Gallura.
AAntichi Poderi di Jerzu Sip beefy Cannonau red wines in the town nicknamed the Citta del Vino (Wine Town), surrounded by fabulous scenery.
ACantina del Mandrolisai In the heart of the hilly Mandrolisa, this cantina is famous for its beefy reds.
ACantine Argiolas Just a short detour north from Cagliari brings you to this award-winning winery in vine-strewn Serdiana. Stop by for a guided tour and tasting.
ACantina Santadi The biggest winery in the southwest whose reds include the highly rated Terre Brune and Grotta Rossa. Book a visit online.
ACantina Sociale di Santa Maria la Palma South of Lago Baratz, Santa Maria la Palma is home to this winery. Stock up on fine wines at the enoteca or take a guided tour.
ATenute Olbios A wine estate on the fringes of Olbia, producing excellent Vermentino whites. Go for tastings and guided vineyard tours.
Vermentino Whites
Introduced to Sardinia in the 18th century, the Vermentino grape flourishes on the sandy granite-based soil in the northeast. The area’s best wine is the Vermentino di Gallura, Sardinia’s only DOCG. A crisp aromatic white with a slightly bitter almond aftertaste, it’s best drunk young as an aperitif or with fish. But Vermentino is not confined to the Gallura DOCG area, although the Vermentino di Sardegna produced elsewhere only carries the DOC rating.
Cannonau Reds
The island’s best-known red wines are made from the Cannonau vine. This is cultivated across the island, although it’s particularly widespread on the mountains around Oliena and Jerzu. Especially good paired with roasted meats, Cannonau reds are a rich, heavy drop that have been sustaining locals for centuries. Research has revealed that Cannonau wines are particularly rich in procyanidins, one of the chemicals that is reputed to give red wine its heart-protecting qualities, which may go some way to explaining the exceptional longevity of people in the Nuoro province.
Vernaccia & Malvasia
Produced since Roman times on the alluvial plains around Oristano, Vernaccia is one of Sardinia’s most famous wines. It’s best known as an amber sherry-like drop usually taken as an aperitif or to accompany pastries like mustazzolus. There are nine Vernaccia wines, however, ranging from dry still whites to aged fortified wines.
Malvasia (Malmsey) is another excellent tipple produced in the Planaragia hills near Bosa, but it’s also made around Cagliari (Malvasia di Cagliari). The Malvasia di Bosa, a delicious honey-coloured dessert wine, is widely available in the Bosa area.
Spirits
Mirto is Sardinia’s national drink, a smooth, powerful liqueur distilled from the fragrant purple fruit of the myrtle bush. In its most common form it’s a purplish berry-red, although a less common white version is also made.
But mirto is just the tip of the iceberg for Sardinian spirits. Islanders have developed a range of local firewaters made using easily found ingredients, such as corbezzolo (an autumnal plant that is similar to wild strawberry), prickly pears and basil. There’s even a local form of limoncello, a sweet lemon-based tipple, similar to the better-known Amalfi Coast drink.
The strangely named filu e ferru (the iron wire) provides quite a kick. Similar to grappa, it is made from a distillate of grape skins and positively roars down the throat – the alcohol content hovers around 40%, with some home brews reaching an eye-watering 60%.
Zedda Piras is a reliable brand of mirto and filu e ferru.
Eating Out in Sardinia
Sardinia has a range of eating options. Booking on the day of your meal is usually fine, but reserve at least a week ahead for popular places.
- Agriturismi Dinner at a wonderfully atmospheric working farm will usually be a set fixed-price feast.
- Enoteche Wine bars usually serve snacks and/or tasting plates to accompany drinks.
- Pizzerias Cheap and cheerful, the best have wood-fired ovens and long queues.
- Ristoranti From simple affairs by the sea to plush gourmet restaurants with extensive wine lists.
- Tavola calda Basic sit-down eatery (literally ‘hot table’), generally offering canteen-style food.
- Trattorias Traditionally family-run places serving a basic menu of affordable local dishes.
TOP FIVE DINING EXPERIENCES
ATrattoria Lo Romanì Meltingly tender spit-roasted pork at an intimate Alghero trattoria.
AAgriturismo Su Boschettu Farm-fresh food served with love among the olive groves and orchards.
ALuigi Pomata Buzzy choice in Cagliari for winningly fresh seafood in minimalist surrounds.
ASu Gologone Rustic-chic mountain escape with beautiful grounds for alfresco feasts of classic Sardinian food.
AIl Portolano Spot-on seafood and zingy flavours shine at this seafront number, with sunset views to Isola Tavolara.
Vegetarians & Vegans
Sardinia is a robustly meat-eating island. But the good news is that vegetables are of a universally high standard and appear in many antipasti and contorni (side dishes). However, note that even apparently meat-free food such as risotto or soup is often prepared with meat stock. Vegans will find it even harder as so many dishes feature some sort of animal product, be it dairy, eggs or animal stock.
Cookery Classes
Sardinia is not as well endowed with cooking schools as many Italian regions are, but there are a handful of places where you can get behind the stove. These include the Cooperativa Gorropu, based in the highlands around Dorgali; Hotel Gabbiano Azzurro, a seafront resort hotel in Golfo Aranci; and Hotel Lucrezia, in the flatlands north of Oristano. At Cantine Argiolas you can learn to cook Sardinian specialities such as fregola and enjoy them with Argiolas wines.
There are a number of specialist operators selling cooking holidays to Sardinia, including Ciao Laura (www.ciaolaura.com), an American outfit arranging culinary breaks in Orosei. A four-day course costs €625, including accommodation.
Seasonal Food & Wine Festivals
A history of rural isolation has led to a fierce pride in local traditions, many of which find form in extravagant celebrations and food-based sagre (festivals dedicated to a particular food). Traditionally these were based on the farming calendar and provided a rare occasion for villagers to meet up, show off their most splendid costumes and prepare their finest recipes. Here’s our pick of the best:
- Sagra del Bogamarì In Alghero, an ode to the humble ricci (sea urchin), held on several weekends in March.
- Sagra degli Agrumi Muravera’s folksy Citrus Fair, held on the second or third weekend in April.
- Sagra del Torrone Located in Tonara in the Barbagia di Belvi, a sweet tribute to nougat; held on Easter Monday.
- Girotonno In Carloforte, this is a four-day festival celebrating the island’s famous mattanza (tuna catch) in early June.
- Sagra delle Castagne An autumnal feast of chestnuts in the mountain town of the Aritzo, held on the last Sunday of October.
- Rassegna del Vino Novello In Milis, one of Sardinia’s top wine festivals, where new wine is sniffed, tasted and sold; held in mid-November.
TABLE MANNERS
ADrinking cappuccino after a meal is a no-no for locals; after noon it’s espresso only.
ASardinians don't generally eat on the hoof (unless it’s gelato).
AEat spaghetti with a fork, not a spoon.
ALocals never season their food without trying it first.
ADon't finish the bread before the food arrives; it’s for mopping up delicious sauces.
AMake eye contact when toasting.
ASome, but not all, restaurants will provide acqua di rubinetto (tap water) if you ask for it, but locals tend to order a bottle of acqua frizzante (sparkling mineral water).
AIf you are invited to someone's home for a meal, always take wine, chocolates or flowers.
AThe person who invites usually pays, though splitting il conto (the bill) is becoming more common.
AOn a restaurant or trattoria bill you can expect to be charged for pane e coperto (bread and a cover charge). Typically it ranges from €1 to €4.
AServizio (service charge) of 10% to 15% may or may not be included in the bill; if it’s not, round up the bill or leave a 10% tip.