Among Sardinian sweets, which are the most famous?

Among Sardinian sweets, which are the most famous?

If you have been to Sardinia at least once, you will certainly have had the opportunity to taste traditional Sardinian sweets, often accompanied by a small glass of myrtle, Vernaccia or Malvasia liqueur. Whether to celebrate an important event, to end a meal or simply to accompany coffee or tea, typical Sardinian sweets are great protagonists of the island's gastronomic culture. The variety of such products is very wide, although the most frequently used ingredients are often repeated: mainly almonds, ricotta, past violada (a flaky pastry) and honey combined in different ways, as well as additions and characteristic flavourings such as saffron, sapa and sultanas.

Here are the Sardinian sweets you must try at least once:

Sardinian macaroons

 

 

Sardinian macaroons are sweets made with almonds, egg whites and sugar and they are one of the symbols of the Sardinian confectionery tradition. They differ from the macaroons found in other parts of Italy in that they are softer on the inside, while their exterior is a slightly crunchy sugar casket. Another peculiarity is the addition of a very small percentage of bitter almonds in the mixture, which makes their flavour more intense and contrasts with the sweetness of the sugar. A delicacy that is often enjoyed in combination with Vernaccia di Oristano, another excellence of our territory. The grandmothers' secret for preparing excellent macaroons? Before forming the typical balls to be baked in the oven, let the dough rest from the previous day. Because Sardinian sweets always have a hidden ingredient: lots of patience!

Seadas or Sebadas

To be pronounced strictly with the accent on the second syllable (Seàdas or Sebàdas), this sweet is a large ravioli of pasta violada (a flaky pastry made from semolina, water and lard) filled with fresh, slightly sour pecorino cheese and lemon zest. Seadas are fried in hot oil, turning golden and tempting with their little bubbles on the surface. They are then eaten with a drizzle of honey or a sprinkling of sugar, depending on your preference, giving the sweet side to a recipe that is made up of unsweetened ingredients. A contrast not to be missed! In Sardinia, Seadas are served at the end of a meal, although considering their caloric intake, they would perhaps be more of a single dish. But then again, when faced with such a tasty dessert, it's better not to think about dieting!

 

Sardinian savoyards

Raise your hand if you don’t love Tiramisu! And raise your hand if you don't immediately think of Savoiardi biscuits when you hear the name of this dessert. Soft, elongated clouds of delicate flavour made from a light sponge cake, enriched simply by a sprinkling of icing sugar. In Sardinia, they are used not only to prepare the typical Italian dessert with mascarpone cheese cream, but also simply to accompany morning coffee (for this reason, Savoiardi biscuits are also called 'Pistoccus de caffei' – coffee biscuits). The basic ingredients of these biscuits are simple: whipped eggs, sugar and flour, with lemon zest or vanilla added according to taste.

Papassini

If every sweet has its special occasion to be enjoyed, Papassini are the typical sweets of All Saints' Day and Christmas. Papassini are rhombus-shaped biscuits, sometimes covered with sugar icing, sometimes just caster sugar. Their dough is similar to soft shortcrust pastry, with the addition of dried fruit and sultanas.

Sardinian nougat

Another very famous Sardinian sweet is Nougat, which is especially typical of the inland areas, where dried fruit grows in abundance. Traditional nougat is prepared with honey and almonds, walnuts or toasted hazelnuts. Sardinian nougat differs because it is less soft than the nougat found in the rest of Italy and because of the unique taste of the raw materials: dried fruit from inland areas and excellent quality honey.

 

Tiricche

Called in many ways (Thiriccas, Tilicche, Caschettas), Tiricche are very elegant sweets, shaped like small crowns. They are made of embroidered strips of pasta violada enclosing a filling of almond paste and saba (or sapa), the cooked must that gives Tiricche a brown colour and a divine flavour! Tiricche originated as typical Easter sweets, but are now eaten on all occasions and included in the tray of mixed sweets served at the end of the meal.

Pardulas and casadinas

Pardulas and Casadinas are two similar sweets, but made with two different basic ingredients. Pardulas, also known as Pardule, are filled with sheep's ricotta cheese, while Casadinas are filled with fresh Pecorino cheese. Both are made with a thin, crispy pastry shell and have a softer filling; they are flavoured with citrus peel and, especially in southern Sardinia, with saffron, which gives them a bright yellow colour. They are typical of the Easter period but can be found throughout the year.

 

Mostaccioli

Mostaccioli, also rhombus-shaped, are typical biscuits, especially from the Oristano area, where they are made with lemon zest and spices, left to leaven for 15-20 days (we said that Sardinian sweets require patience, didn't we?) and glazed with a dash of cooked sugar. Although today they are often made with simple pastry cutters, the original moulds are made of wood or ceramic, which gives a completely different result.

Aranzada

Candied orange peel, toasted almond flakes and honey are the ingredients of Aranzada, small sweets with a strong citrus flavour. Typical of the Nuoro area, Aranzadas are traditionally the dessert of important feasts, such as weddings or other ceremonies. Their very long preparation makes them truly exquisite. Anyone who loves citrus fruits cannot resist their scent!

These were the most famous Sardinian sweets. Have you tasted any others that you think we should have included in this list?

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