Sea specialities and sa suppa cuata to taste in Gallura
Suppa cuata: is a typical specialty of Gallura, very similar to "sa suppa" prepared in Baronìe. In the past the Gallurese soup used to be eaten especially on the occasion of wedding banquets. It is "a poor" plate of the agro pastoral tradition, prepared with bread slices, fresh cheese, Pecorino Sardo or grated Fiore Sardo, chopped aromatic herbs (parsley, mint, oregano, wild fennel, nutmeg); in addition to sheep stock, separatly prepared, and put in the oven. Sa suppa cuata is best enjoyed warm or lukewarm.
Spaghetti alla bottarga (fish eggs): bring the spaghetti to the boil, then pass them into a pan where had been warmed some olive oil with bottarga (dried mullet eggs). Pan-fry them for a minute and now they are ready to eat.
Spaghetti ai ricci (sea-urchins): savory version of spaghetti in tomato sauce, use sea-urchin fresh pulp roasted with olive oil and basil. The spaghetti have to be drained “al dente” , then pan-fry them with the sea-urchin and basil sauce.
Zuppa di pesce (fish soup): fry in a pan olive oil, garlic, chopped onion and parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, after about then minutes add the gutted and scaled fishes: position them according to their cooking time (preferred are normally eel, red/rose fish, grey mullet, black-tail, mullet, cuttlefish, octopus, mackerel, red mullet, crabs, magnosa). Then add a couple of cookwares of water, a little bit of white wine, depending on the quantity. Serve hot with toasted bread or the typical tarts, traditionally eaten by sailors and fishermen that could not preserve the bread for long time.
Fregola: thick semolina usually handmade (with water and salt) made into small balls: tried in the hot oven for few minutes. The Fregola can be combined with meat 's stock or with clams and garlic or fresh tomatoes, garlic and chopped onion.
Minestra con casu axedu (suer cheese soup ): meat's stock and pastina (tiny type of pasta, for example “stelline”, little stars). After the boiling, add pieces of casu axedu (suer cheese) melting in tasty strings.
Culurgiones: the Sardinian ravioli, called Culingionis in other zones of Sardegna, are prepared with a dough of seed corn or flour, eggs, salt and olive oil and a filling of soft cheese or ricotta, chard or spinach, eggs, butter and saffron. All dressed in tomato sauce and grated Sardinian cheese. Very tasty is also the variation filled with potatoes, lard, fresh mint, chopped onion and garlic.
Aragosta (lobster crab): boiled lobster crab in salted water, cut in an half and simply dressed in olive oil and lemon sauce. Some people like to add fresh onions chopped in small pieces. Crabs and scampi are cooked following a similar recipe.
Panàda di anguille (eels panada): puff pastry of flour and lard filled with tiny slices of marinate ell, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and parsley. The lamb version is also tasty.
Ricci di mare (sea-urchins) : during fishing authorized time, the sea-urchins are ready to eat, you just need a knife and a teaspoon. The pulp varies in color from orange to purple red, tastes sweet and can be used as a sauce, for example to flavor spaghetti (look at Spaghetti ai ricci).
Sea-urchins can be enjoyed along with a dry white wine.
