It's almost impossible not to have heard of carasau or pane 'e fresa (or fressa), the thin and crispy Sardinian bread originating from Barbagia, the bread of shepherds, whose fame and goodness have spread far beyond the shores of Sardinia.

In 2017, carasau even entered the Italian Zingarelli dictionary, with this definition: "a type of Sardinian bread in the shape of a very thin and crispy disc, suitable for long-term storage. Origin: from Sardinian carasare, meaning to toast. Because after baking, it is re-baked in the oven."

Carasau or fresa: what is it?

Carasau (or carasatu, carasadu, crasau), also known as carta da musica (music paper), is prepared with durum wheat semolina, natural yeast, and water. What makes its preparation distinctive is the double baking in the oven: during the first baking, the disc inflates, creating two sheets that are re-baked separately and "carasate" (toasted or biscotto-like). It is this toasting that transforms it into a flavorful, crispy, and very long-lasting product.

The same method is also used to prepare other typical Sardinian breads, such as pistoccu. The fundamental difference with pistoccu lies in the thickness: while pistoccu is about 3-4 mm thick, carasau is only 1 mm. Furthermore, pistoccu often contains potatoes in the dough and is usually moistened with water before being consumed (pistoccu ammoddiau, infustu), whereas carasau is most often consumed dry (a trocheddu, arridu).

Carasau sheets can also be eaten soft, not biscotto-like. In this case, it is called pane lentu (or pane modde, pane cruu), similar to piadina but much thinner, easy to stuff because it is double, a sort of pocket ready to hold fillings.

Today, shapes that do not inflate are kept as pane lentu, while in the past, a portion of carasau production was kept a lentu for immediate consumption. This process also occurs with Ogliastra pistoccu: a small part of the production, called pistoccu modde, is consumed the same day.

Origin of carasau, shepherd's bread

It is difficult to trace the origins of carasau. According to some archaeological findings, a similar type of bread, though probably unleavened, was already produced in the Bronze Age. Among the Nuragic populations, the cultivation of various types of cereals, such as soft wheat, durum wheat, and barley, was widespread.

Together with pistoccu, carasau is the shepherd's bread par excellence, precisely because of its very long shelf life. Until the mid-20th century, the shepherd's work forced men to undertake transhumance, leaving their homes for entire months, from November to May, to bring their flocks to areas with milder climates: the plains of Campidano, or the nearest coasts.

Thus, Sardinian women created a bread that could maintain its characteristics over time. After all, it is well known that necessity is the mother of invention! It is no coincidence that in the mountainous areas of Sardinia, twice-baked breads prevail, while in the plains and hills, softer and more voluminous ones like civraxiu and coccoi are more common.

During the hard months of work in the pastures, shepherds enjoyed it with simple foods, such as ricotta, cheese, lard, or cured ham, using the sheets as a plate... to be eaten at the end of the meal.

How carasau bread is made: an ancient ritual

Sa cotta is the traditional name for the preparation of carasau, a process that has remained largely unchanged to this day, but has moved from homes to professional bakeries.

Until the mid-last century, sa cotta was a true ritual, strenuous but characterized by sharing and mutual help. Several women, usually family members or neighbors, participated in the process, often exchanging favors (agiudu torrau) and gifts (oil, cheese, or other food products). In wealthier families, it was not uncommon for an expert baker to participate, paid in money by the lady of the house.

Preparation began at dawn, when the women gathered to knead durum wheat semolina with sourdough starter (framentu) and water, in large wooden containers called scivus or lacus. This first phase, called s'inthurta, is a task that requires a lot of time and energy, because the dough must be worked continuously until a solid mixture with a smooth surface is obtained.

After kneading, the dough is placed in terracotta containers (scivedda, tianu, impastera) and left to rest for a few hours. This is the moment of the first proofing (or bulk fermentation). When its volume has doubled, the dough is cut into equal pieces, then pressed with a rolling pin to obtain very thin sheets (2 or 3 millimeters) with a diameter of about 40 centimeters, called tundas.

The discs are baked at very high temperatures (450-550 degrees) to achieve an instantaneous puffing of the sheet, which becomes a sort of slightly flattened ball. At this point, the bread is removed from the oven and sa fresadura is performed, which means separating the upper sheet from the lower one with the help of a sharp knife. In Sardinian, there is also a specific word to define the person in charge of performing this very important operation: sa fresadora. This person had to be very careful to separate the layers without breaking them, obtaining 2 almost identical sheets (pizos).
This is why this bread is also called pane 'e fresa, or simply fresa, or fressa.

Subsequently, the different sheets are stacked and left to cool, taking care to separate them with linen cloths. The final phase, "carasatura" (carasadura), which gives the bread its name, can now begin. The bread sheets are put back in the oven so that they can brown and acquire their very light consistency. This twice-baking was born for a practical reason, namely to preserve the bread longer, but it has the pleasant side effect of making the bread crispy and more flavorful.

Over the years, salt and often brewer's yeast have been added to the traditional recipe (which, however, must be followed by a very long proofing, of at least six hours). Despite this, there are still some families who prepare carasatu bread in their homes following the original process, an ancient ritual passed down from generation to generation.

How to eat carasau bread?

Pane carasau is usually eaten as is: it is placed in the center of the table so that each diner can break off pieces of the large round sheets little by little. In its areas of origin, many prefer to serve it moistened and soft.

However, other Sardinians who have only recently discovered it, and tourists, more often eat it in its crispy version. In restaurants, it is very suitable for nibbling while waiting for the main dishes, and for this reason, in Sardinia, it has replaced breadsticks in almost all establishments.

Moistened carasau can also be used to prepare quick sweet snacks. The simplest and oldest is made by simply sprinkling it with a little sugar. But nowadays, it is more common to spread commercial hazelnut cream on it and make rolls.

The basic idea is not bad: it could be improved by filling the carasau rolls with quality jams or cooked fruit and perhaps some dried fruit, like a strudel. Or why not simply fold the moistened sheets in 2 or 4 to make crêpe-like dishes?

These are the simplest and most immediate uses of carasau or fresa, which, however, is also used in some slightly more elaborate recipes, even becoming a main course. Or rather, a rich single dish with very substantial ingredients.

Here are the most typical carasau bread recipes!

Carasau bread recipes

Carasau bread lends itself to many easy and quick recipes: it adapts to a wide variety of toppings.

A very common dish is su pane frattau, a kind of bread lasagna in which layers of carasau alternate with tomato sauce and pecorino cheese. Then, to finish off beautifully, a fried egg is placed on top. The variations are endless, and it happens that some villages try to pass their version off as the original recipe.

Another similar dish is Gallurese soup or supa cuata, which involves meat broth to soften the carasau, more often lamb, abundant sprinkles of pecorino cheese, and, if desired, slices of fresh cheese. It can also be baked in the oven to brown the surface.

Another recipe is pane guttiau: a sheet of carasau is moistened with a little olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and lightly toasted in the oven or on a grill, over the burning embers of a fireplace.

With carasau bread, it is also possible to make cold lasagnas. Simply moisten the bread sheets slightly and arrange them in layers in a baking dish with fresh cherry tomatoes, ricotta, oil, and basil.