The way of sa panada

The way of sa panada

A journey from the south to the north of the island, from Assemini to Oschiri, passing through Cuglieri, in the pursuit of culinary excellence, a symbol of local identity with traditional recipes that have been handed down for centuries by the communities of the three villages

An itinerary into the discovery of a tasty 'filled pie'

The way of the sa panada is a culinary tour through three villages distant from each other and with different stories, united by the antique art of creating this exquisite dish. In Assemini, Cuglieri e Oschiri (and their territories) you can taste three variants of panadas, the ‘magical filled pie’, each with its own characteristics and made using distinct techniques and recipes, handed down over the centuries by word of mouth in the communities of reference. They have the basic semolina and flour puff pastry in common. The shape is cylindrical, closed on top in the manner of ‘an intertwined cord', a sort of crown obtained by ‘pinching’ and twisting the dough. The sizes differ: the diameter varies from about ten to 30 centimetres, the height varies from five to eight centimetres and the weight varies from a hundred grammes to two kilos. The colour is golden, the aroma is intense and spicy, the consistency is firm and crumbly on the outside and soft on the inside. The meat, fish and vegetable filling vary according to the origin. The taste is savoury and slightly spicy.

Itinerary: 245 km

Road journey time: 3 hrs 18 mins

Assemini

Assemini is a little town in southern Campidano, 15 kilometres from Cagliari, famous for its ceramic manufacturing tradition and also for being the capital of sa panada, to which the Panada Fest in mid-October is dedicated. In this area, sa panada is skilfully shaped, like a work of art, and is considered a complete main dish. It is large in size, true to its medieval origins. It is stuffed with eels or lamb, then potatoes, broad beans or artichokes, all seasoned with garlic, parsley, dried tomatoes, pepper, lard and extra virgin olive oil. Another unusual feature, in addition to sa cosidura (its ornamental ‘crown-like’ seam), is that of the folds that support the pastry case and give it its typical 'pot' shape, closed with a lid of pasta violada (su croxu).

Assemini

One of the most important villages in the hinterland of Cagliari is this hub of ceramic art, around a territory with many attractions throughout...

Cuglieri

In the authentic village of Cuglieri, the main populated area of Montiferru, is panadas are considerably smaller and are filled with beef and pork, artichokes, peas, broad beans and olives, as well as lard and garlic. The dish and the village have a symbiotic relationship: there is no religious or civil celebration in which the dish is not present. The life and celebrations of its inhabitants are marked by sa panada. So, an event dedicated to it can’t be missed: the Panadas festival in mid-August. For local families a few decades ago, it represented an interval in the daily diet, in times when fish was rarely consumed, pasta was only intended for Sundays and local products were eaten during the rest of the week, especially legumes and vegetables. Today, like in the past, making the panada is a moment of social and festive interaction.

Cuglieri

An historic town in the Upper Oristano on the western side of central Sardinia that stands out for its traditions, its archaeology and nature

Oschiri

The size of the sas panadas made in Oschiri, a village in the Monteacuto region (eastern Logudoro) near Mount Limbara, is halfway between those from Montiferru and those from Campidano. Taste and fragrance come from a filling based on pork and vegetables, abundantly seasoned and flavoured. In the past, it seems that eels from the nearby Lake Coghinas were also used to make an alternative filling to the ‘classic’ one. Here too, at the end of July, the festival of sa panada is celebrated, an event that helps to identify the culinary speciality with Oschiri, in northern Sardinia. This typical delicacy also reigns supreme in the food and wine section of the local ethnographic museum.