I've created this foodie guide to Sardinia so that you know what food to eat while you are there.
Sardinia is one of the regions in Italy. The second biggest island in the Mediterranean, it has some incredible food, some of which is completely different from the other parts of Italy and that sometimes you will not be able to find anywhere else. For sure something to consider when you are visiting Sardinia, and the reason why I've created this foodie guide.
If you think that all the regions in Italy have the same type of food and that all the food taste the same, then you are mistaken. This is the great thing about Italy. Every place you visit has its own recipes and flavours. This is something that most tourists only discover when they are visiting this beautiful country.
Bottarga
At first, this might sound strange, but bottarga is probably one of the most popular ingredients used in Sardinia. Especially over pasta and pizza dishes.
Bottarga is dried, cured and pressed grey mullet or tuna roe. This is then grated over pasta, pizza, salads etc. and it gives the dishes a wonderfully savoury, umami flavour. If this is something that you want to try back home, you should remember that less is more with using bottarga in recipes.
Different variety of bread
Yes, you can find different shapes and types of bread all over Italy. But, in Sardinia this is different. Not only are their bread made differently, but it comes in all shapes and sizes.
There is bread for a single serving, and bread for a huge family. Bread for everyday use, and the bread that is only baked for special occasions. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many different breads you try in Italy. The one that you will notice is that the bread in Sardinia is completely different in taste and looks as in the rest of Italy.
Notable examples are 'pane carasau', a crispy and extremely thin traditional flatbread, also known as 'music paper bread'! You have 'fresa', a kind of durum wheat bread; everyday bread like 'Cifraxiu' and decorative bread destined for festivities like 'coccoi'.
Sardinian Cheese
Cheese comes in different shapes and sizes in Italy. And, any Italian dish wouldn’t be the same without cheese. Popular cheese that you can find in Italy is Parmesan. However, if you visit Sardinia, and you love cheese, you will be in heaven.
Because of where Sardinia is located, for centuries they have survived on sheep-farming, which means that they have perfected cheese-making. Sardinia has cheese that is hard to find in other parts of Italy. Especially, when it comes to sheep's milk cheeses. One of the more popular cheeses that you can try in this region is Casu Marzu. It is hard to find if you want to purchase it and very unique. But you also have incredible sheep's milk ricotta, 'Fiore Sardo' and Pecorino.
Favourite seafood in Sardinia
Again, because of the location of Sardinia, an island surrounded by the beautiful sea, seafood is one of the most popular foods that locals adore. This is cheap to find and can be prepared in different ways.
In Sardinia, you will find seafood like sardines, lobster, clams and even sea urchins. The sea urchins are the delicacy that you will mostly find in this location. They are local and seasonal, and their harvesting is strictly regulated, but this is something that you will not taste again.
Bottarga, sheep cheese, variety of bread and sea urchins. This is just some of the favourite local food that you will find when you are visiting the beautiful Sardinia. You will find that their food tastes completely different from the rest of Italy. This is because of their location and the ingredients that are available there.
