The sweet flavour of Sardinian Carnival
Traditions and ancestral rites for one of the most characteristic Carnivals in Italy show a delicious culinary side.
An ancient and millenary land, Sardinia boasts countless and interesting traditions among which the Carnival stands out, a unique festival of its kind in which the ancient agro-pastoral rites are retraced and the sacred mixes with the profane, goliardy with austerity.
The Sardinian Carnival, called Carrasegare, begins on January 17, the day dedicated to Sant’Antonio Abate, and every weekend is the right time to dedicate yourself to the festivities.
The carnival tradition differs from that of the rest of Italy with charming events. We cannot fail to mention the Carnival from the ancestral atmosphere of the whole Barbagia, the Sartiglia with the masked knights in Oristano, the gattu mask of Sarule, the Attiradoras of Bosa and Cagliari with the reign of King Cancioffali and Sa Ratantira, Desecrating and funny litany.
A role of fundamental importance in the Carnival of Sardinia is played by the masked characters: they are really characteristic, some focused on the world of crafts, others inspired by fantastic characters such as the famous Mamuthones and Issadores of Mamoiada, others still to animals.
And then, of course, you cannot miss dances and banquets: food is a key piece, delicious and good with typical traditional sweets to be savoured.
The delicious tradition of Sardinian sweets for Carnival
Ancestral rite with a mysterious and folkloric charm, the Sardinian Carnival boasts special traditions that have their roots in the rural and pastoral past of the island and that are handed down from generation to generation.
Each area of Sardinia preserves its exclusive recipes in terms of desserts with preparations, names and processing methods that differ even a few kilometres away.
However, there is a common denominator: the abundance of frying and sugar.
Let’s see together what are the typical sweets that can be enjoyed spending the Carnival period in these lands.
The Zeppole
Among the most representative desserts we find the zeppole, zippulas or sas Tzipulas, soft pancakes covered with honey or sugar.
Even here, the preparation varies depending on the area: in southern Sardinia, for example, they can have the shape of small doughnuts while in the north and centre that of long golden snakes.
The small doughnuts with an irregular shape are usually flavoured with orange, lemon and saffron and then fried until golden brown.
In some parts of the island ricotta is added and / or potatoes to make them softer.
The long pancakes, more typical of the central north, take the shape of a snake and are prepared by pouring directly the softest dough into the boiling oil passing it through a funnel. Often, they are flavoured with anise.
The Fatti Fritti
Also called Parafrittos or Parafrittus, they are very soft doughnuts fried and then covered with sugar.
They are prepared throughout Sardinia with small differences in aromas: in some villages lemon is used, in others orange while in the north anise.
The detail that unites them all is a lighter line that appears on the fatti fritti when, cooking them in hot oil, they come back to the surface.
The Acciuleddi
Typical of Gallura, but also widespread from Nuoro to Sassari, the Acciuleddi are sweets of purple dough (dough soaked in lard or butter) with the characteristic shape of small braids. After cooking they are covered with honey.
The Orillettas
One of the most famous desserts of the carnival are the Chiacchiere or Bugie, fried dough sheets that are widespread throughout Italy with variations: in Sardinia they are flavoured with brandy and lemon zest.
In Gallura and Nuoro they prepare the orillettas which are thin strips of dough with a typical accordion shape.
They are fried and then covered with honey and citrus peel.
The Culorgiones de mendula
Unmissable in any party are the fried sweet ravioli, stuffed with a creamy mixture based on almond paste and covered with a layer of honey and icing sugar: a goodness that is difficult to do without.
The Uvusones
Uvusones are bites of fried dough prepared with flour, sugar, butter, eggs and yeast.
The final touch is given by acacia honey combined with filu ‘e ferru.
After frying, in fact, the delicious balls are filled with honey which, combined with Sardinian brandy, gives them an inimitable flavour.
The Arrubiolus
These are fried ricotta balls, covered with icing sugar or honey, and flavoured with orange or lemon zest.
The name comes from the red colour they take on after frying.
The Gatzas
The Gatzas are leavened dough pancakes made from durum wheat, similar to bread: they are prepared with potatoes, semolina, lard, water and brewer’s yeast or sourdough.
The filling includes both savoury and sweet ingredients.
All the flavour of Sardinian tradition at Osteria del Forte
A holiday in Sardinia can be a perfect opportunity to experience first-hand the unmistakable rituals of the Carnival and experience the authentic taste of traditional sweets approaching the island thanks to its rich gastronomic heritage.
Precisely for this reason, at the Forte Village Resort in Santa Margherita di Pula, in the province of Cagliari, an award-winning resort with affordable luxury, Osteria del Forte offers authentic, tasty and refined cuisine, which aims to recover traditional recipes revisited with the creativity of modern trends.
At the centre, seasonal ingredients of the territory stand out: experience, great passion, creativity and enhancement of local products are the main elements that Executive Chef Alessandro Cocco puts in his dishes, in which the protagonist is a cuisine with an ancient soul reinterpreted in a modern key.
Would you like to taste the unforgettable flavours of the Sardinian Carnival sweets and enjoy a holiday of charm and elegance? Book a stay at Palazzo Doglio in Cagliari
