Forget the taste-like-nothing, spongy stuff staring at you through a plastic bag from a supermarket shelf. In Sardinia, bread is a ryte of passage, a ceremony, a symbol of wealth and good fortune, a religion, a sacred good, an amulet and a work of art, all bunched up.
Pane Carasau is a thin and crisp bread made only from Sardinian durum wheat semolina, water and natural yeast. Nothing more. Sardinian shepherds’ wives have always been in charge of kneading the dough, shaping it into thin, round discs. As the dough starts to rise it is baked once, then each disc is split in two halves which are re-baked separately. This re-baking procedure is called carasare - whence the word carasau – and it ensures Pane Carasau the longest durability of all types of bread.
Pane Guttiau is very similar to Pane Carasau, but it is even thinner. Pane Guttiau is often brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt, then eaten as a snack. It's also commonly served with salami and cheese.
