The saffron crocus is cultivated in Sardinia and this spice features in a number of dishes. A minute amount is used to flavour and colour dishes of semolina, rice, fish and even tripe. Semolina is quite popular especially in sa simbula fritta and su farri. An unusual pasta popular in Sardinia is malloreddus, small dumplings with sausage meat. Paella which is served with delicious sauces and seafoods represents the the spanish influence that is very strong on the west coast of the Sardinia.

Some of the more typical dishes wich you are likely to encounter are: pane de gherda, flaky pastry patties of cheese, bacon and onions; su pilaf, rice with sauce of lobster, prwans or octopus; cullingio mis, a kind of ravioli filled with cheese and meat and buttarigia, compressed dries bass or mullet eggs seasoned with olive oil and lemon.

Seafood around Sardinia is abundant and the local fish soup called ziminu wich should have 12 different varieties of fish in it, should not be missed. Lobster is recommended especially when cooked in a sauce of its own eggs and so also in catfish stewed in a sauce of oil, pine nuts, garlic, nut meds, bread cumbs and vinegar.

There are many excellent cheeses such as pecorino, a hard sheeps’s milk cheese, gioddu similar to the Greek feta and su casu marzu.

Wine and liquors

Sardinia produces wine of good quaffable quality and is noted for its dessert wines, especially the honey-coloured Vernaccia of Oristano. Normal reds and whites include Anghelo Ruiu (red) and Torbato (white) from Alghero and Aleatico and Cannonau.