Traditional dishes from Olbia
Sardinian cuisine is one of the oldest and most authentic in Italy, with dishes that reflect the island’s pastoral, rural and seafaring history. Here is a selection of the the most representative traditional Sardinian dishes, divided between land and sea:
🥩 Traditional peasant and pastoral dishes
1. Porcetto (Sardinian suckling pig)
- The symbol of Sardinian cuisine.
- A suckling pig, slowly roasted on a spit over aromatic wood (myrtle or mastic).
- Crispy on the outside, melt-in-the-mouth on the inside.
2. Campidanese-style malloreddus
- Sardinian gnocchetti served with a sauce made from sausage, tomato and saffron.
- Sometimes served with grated Sardinian pecorino.
3. Carasau bread
- Crisp, thin and twice-baked, also known as “music paper”.
- It is eaten as a snack or as an accompaniment; in the version Frattau bread It is topped with tomato, egg and pecorino.
4. Culurgiones
- Traditional Ogliastra ravioli filled with potatoes, pecorino and mint.
- A spike clasp – a true masterpiece of craftsmanship.
5. Sardinian Pecorino PDO
- A mature or semi-mature cheese, with strong, distinctive flavours.
- It is also used in many traditional dishes.
🐟 Seafood dishes
6. Mullet bottarga
- Dried and grated mullet roe, typical of Cabras.
- It is used on spaghetti, eggs or bread with oil.
7. Gallura soup
- It’s not a fish soup, but a baked dish: stale bread, meat stock, melted cheese.
- Rich and hearty, typical of Gallura.
8. Catalan-style lobster (Alghero)
- Boiled lobster served with tomatoes, onion and extra virgin olive oil.
- Very fresh, often made with fish that has just been caught.
🍰 Traditional Sardinian desserts
9. Seadas (or sebadas)
- Deep-fried pastries filled with fresh cheese and served with honey (often arbutus honey).
- The contrast between sweet and savoury/cheese is a typical feature of Sardinian pastries.
10. Sardinian amaretti
- Soft biscuits made with sweet and bitter almonds.
- With a hint of lemon or orange zest.
11. Papassini
- Biscuits with raisins, walnuts and icing, traditionally eaten at All Saints’ Day.
🍷 Drinks
- Cannonau: Sardinia’s most famous red wine, full-bodied and aromatic.
- Vermentino di Gallura DOCG: a crisp white wine, ideal with fish dishes.
- Myrtle: a digestive liqueur made from wild myrtle berries; very aromatic.
