Bread
In Ogliastra everyday bread is 'pistokku'. Its basis is a mixture of superfine flour and of bran; the dough is kneaded into rectangular or round shapes, then put in a wood-burning oven. As soon as a browned crust appears, pistokku is taken out of the oven and cut in half in order to be toasted. In ancient times, it was the kind of bread suitable for long periods of work far from home, like when the head of the family led his sheep to pasture. The 'carta da musica' (very similar to 'pane carasau') appears in round, thicker sheets than pistokku and it is made with durum wheat flour, while the cooking process is the same. Lastly 'pani pittau' is the well-wishing bread which lays on the tables on the happiest occasions, like during weddings. It is made with durum wheat flour too but it takes very original forms because of manual dexterity of local women.
First Course
The first course par excellence are 'culurgionis', a variety of ravioli stuffed with potatoes and pecorino cheese. The dough is the same of ravioli, while the stuffing is made with mashed potatoes and freshly grated pecorino cheese (there are mint- flavoured culurgionis too). By tradition, these special ravioli are hand-made in order to take the form of an ear of wheat. Once cooked, they are arranged in layers and served with abundant tomato sauce and a pinch of freshly grated pecorino cheese. 'Malloreddus' are very small gnocchi, shaped like a shell and made with superfine durum wheat flour; they are usually served with tomato sauce and Italian sausage. Lastly, you can taste the 'fregula', which is a kind of cous-cous; here it is kneaded with the sepia and served with a shrimps and sepia sauce. But Ogliastra specialities are: spaghetti with sea urchins, spaghetti with botargo and the famous fish soup.
Main Course
The principal dish of meat is pork: on the spit, barbecued or buried into a hole and roasted over a bed of leaves and aromatic herbs. Instead, for the few people who appreciate the particular taste of the entrails, the 'trattalia' is the most typical dish of Ogliastra: it is a string of lamb or kid entrails roasted on the spit. But there are savoury dishes for vegetarians as well, like the 'coccoi prena', a kind of flat bread stuffed with mashed potatoes and pecorino cheese (there is a variety with gourd orcourgettes, called the 'coccoi ‘e corcoriga'). Otherwise, you can taste the famous 'casu axedu'; it consists of slices of cheese very similar to yoghurt, but thicker, made with sheep or goat milk, or mixed.
The Cakes
In order to end a very fine meal or for sweets-based occasions, Ogliastra offers its 'amaretti', biscuits made with marzipan, the 'ciambelle' (shortcrust pastry biscuits), the 'casadinas', cakes stuffed with very fresh cheese and orange peel, the 'pappassina' and the 'paniscedda', typical flat bread with mulled wine which is baked for All Saints’ Day.
