Nuorese cuisine: the centuries old pastoral tradition
Malloreddus: gnochetti (dumplings) of semolina (hard seed corn), generally handmade. This is one of the typical Sardinian “primi piatti” (first dishes). Malloreddus are usually served with tomato sauce and grated cheese (Fiore Sardo, Pecorino Sardo or Pecorino Romano).
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.
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.
Porchetto arrosto (roast suckling pig): spit-roast suckling pig is one of the typical Sardinian dishes, but it is not easy to prepare. The cooking procedure is long and lot of attention is required to obtain savory meat not dried with a crunchy rind. The pork has to be turned over at the right distance from the flame, and it has to be oiled with the shortening of the fused lard. Su porceddu (this pork) is usually presented in every farm-house, trattoria, restaurant, according to the culinary tradition of Sardinia.
Cinghiale in umido (wild boar): even if the boar is animal similar to the wild pig, its meat is more difficult to cook, as it is not really tender. The secret of a tasty boar's dish lays on marinating its meat into the wine, with chopped onion and some myrtle leaves. It is better served warm with a good red wine.
Agnello arrosto (roast lamb): it is one of the gastronomic specialties of Sardinia. The quality of the meats depends especially on the amount of pasture available on the territory and its conditions. As for the suckling pig, the lamb's cooking procedure requires a certain experience in order to avoid the dryness of the meat from the right quantity of lard.
Interiora allo spiedo (spit-roast offal): intestines, liver and heart of kid or lamb, washed carefully and immersed in water and vinegar, then entrenched with little juniper branches and broiled.
Zurrette: typical shepherd's dish, proposed even in some farm houses. The lamb's stomach (washed with care in water and vinegar then turned over) half filled of the animal blood, lard cubes, pieces of bread and of fresh cheese, chopped onion, salt and pepper powder. This is a particular tasty dish, it can be eaten warm or cold.
Favata: broad bean soup, (left in bain-marie for at least one day), lard and pork's meat in pieces, cabbage, wild fennel, sun-dried-tomatoes, and chopped onion, garlic, carrot and fennel. It is better tasted lukewarm. Favata should be better served on a soup plate with slices of toasted bread on the bottom.
Prosciutto crudo (raw ham): a really good ham is obtained from pork's thighs (wild swines have tender meat). Meats are salted and slightly smoked, before being dried. The seasoning process demands a fresh, dark and ventilated place (usually the wine cellars of the houses). On mountain zones it is served cut in thick slices (a centimeter of thickness, or more). Very appreciated is the wild boar's ham, but this is produced only in few localities.
