Sardinia is a stunning place and one of the best summer holidays destinations in Italy. Sunshine all year long, cristalline sea waters, splendid beaches, incredible views and countless things to see make millions of tourists fall in love with it and make it particularly attractive in June, July and August. Also, don't forget the fantastic prehistoric "Nuraghi" that you will have the opportunity to visit during your stay!
Well, this island is a heaven on earth that is just waiting to be discovered. And there is more: Sardinian cuisine is one of the tastiest in Italy, as its dishes are delicious!
Would you like to know more to start planning your holiday? We propose a list of the top 10 dishes you must try in Sardinia along with their main characteristics. We are sure that you will not resist for long and that it will have you drooling as soon as you'll finish reading.
10) Pecorino Sardo
Sardinian cheese is exquisite. This product is made with sheep milk and it is left aging for some months. Depending on the period, it is called "fresco" (fresh) or "stagionato" (aged). The bravest can also try to taste the typical "Casu frazigu", which is a famous traditional cheese colonized by larvas and inhabited by dozens of worms!
9) Culurgiones
it is a first course called in different ways in each province of Sardinia and it was invented in Ogliastra, a locality near Nuoro. Here, ravioli are stuffed with pecorino sardo and seasoned with olive oil and tomato sauce or with potatoes, mint and cheese. Each area have its own recipe, so somewhere you will find them accompanied with ricotta cheese and spinaches, somewhere else with orange zest, saffron or onions. However, their taste will still be incredibly pleasant.
8) Torrone
This is not the traditional torrone recipe, as in Sardinia you don't use sugar, but some simple natural ingredients that confer it a beautiful amber color. Home, almonds and albume are what you need to prepare this delicious sweet!
7) Malloreddus
The "gnocchetti" are one of the most famous and imitated Sardinian dishes. They are shell-shaped made with a homemade semolina pasta dough which are seasoned with sauces of various kinds. The typical recite comes from a southern region called "Campidanese" and its fantastic sauce is made with sausages, tomatoes and shredded pecorino cheese. Since centuries, this dish is prepared by Sardinian housewives in occasion of small town festivities or special occasions.
6) Bottarga
Bottarga is a food made with fish eggs, usually tuna's or mullet's, which are dried following traditional processes. This preparati in typically Mediterranean and in Sardinia it is mainly used to flavour some good pasta dishes or it is served as an entrée. The best-known Sardinian bottargas come from Cagliari, Tortolì and Stagno di Cabras.
5) Pardulas
Pardulas are succulent tweets made with saffron, sheep ricotta and lemon zest, enclosed in a crunchy semolina phyllo dough. They are usually called "formaggelle" and typically cooked in the Easter period.
4) Fregula
This first course is prepared with a peculiare tipe of pasta, which is wrapped, tosate in the oven and then cut to from many small balls with an irregular diameter. Do not forget to taste the typical seasoning made with clams and bottarga!
3) Pane Carasau
It is the typical Sardinian bread and it is generally called "music bread" because of the sound it makes when it is eaten, as it is very crunchy. Its in gradiente are few and simple, but the preparation is complex as it is necessary to follow it step by step. Eat it to accompany steaks, cheeses, cured meats or vegetables to make your lunch even tastier!
2) Seadas
Seadas are the dessert par excellence, a tidbit that nobody can resist in Sardinia! These cakes are made with puff pastry stufe with cheese, fried and seasoned with a lot of local honey. There are some variants, but even the simplest recipe boasts a special taste that pleasantly explodes in the mouth.
1) Porceddu
You cannot leave Sardinia before you've tasted the typical "maialino"! The piglet represent the local cuisine out of the island and it is cooked on a spot over a large barbecue, where it is flavored with myrtle and rosemary. While it was initially prepared in occasion of special events and festivals, now it is served in hundreds of restaurants that wish to offer the taste of the original Sardinian food to all their guests.
What are you waiting for? Book a vacatio in Sardinia and get ready to taste some of the best Italian dishes. If you are looking for a holiday accommodation to rent in Sardinia, we suggest choosing our Villa Sole tra i Ginepri or Lentischio, Villa Vera or Villa Silenis!
© Alice Pilastri
