The Sardinian aperitivo is made with three things: pane carasau, grey mullet bottarga and a chilled Vermentino. The carasau is warmed or very lightly wetted, the bottarga is grated or thinly sliced with a drizzle of oil, and the Vermentino is served at 8–10 °C. Nothing else is needed — and above all there's no need to turn it into a buffet. Below is the version we make in Villasimius, with quantities and the right order.
What you really need for a Sardinian aperitivo
For four people:
- Pane carasau: 4–5 whole sheets, to break by hand.
- Grey mullet bottarga: one whole lobe to slice, or 40–50 g of grated bottarga.
- Sardinian pecorino: 200 g, one fresh and one aged if you want to play on the contrast.
- Extra virgin olive oil and a lemon.
- Honey: one jar, to set next to the pecorino.
- Vermentino di Sardegna: one 75 cl bottle for every 3–4 people.
No mainland cured meats, no industrial brined olives, no crisps. If you leave something off this list it still works; if you add too much, it loses its thread.
How do you prepare pane carasau for an aperitivo?
Carasau can be eaten three ways, all good depending on what you put on top.
- Dry and broken: straight from the pack, broken into irregular pieces. It's the base for grated bottarga.
- Warmed in the oven: 2–3 minutes at 180 °C with a drizzle of oil and coarse salt. It becomes more fragrant and holds rich toppings better.
- Wetted: a very quick pass under the tap and it turns soft and foldable. Baked with oil and salt it's called pane guttiau.
If you don't know where that thin sheet comes from and why it's made that way, we covered it in the story of pane carasau.
How much pane carasau do you need per person?
One whole sheet per person is already plenty, considering it's dry bread and more filling than it looks.
How do you serve bottarga at an aperitivo?
Two ways, and it's worth doing both on the same table.
- Sliced: a whole lobe with the wax peeled off, cut into 1–2 mm slices with a sharp knife. On top: extra virgin olive oil and a few drops of lemon. Put it on the carasau just before eating, not earlier, or the bread goes soggy.
- Grated: over warm, oiled carasau, like snow. Saltier and more immediate.
Practical rule: bottarga is already quite salty, so cut down on or skip the salt on the bread. On what grey mullet bottarga is and how it's made we've written a separate guide.
Which Vermentino to choose, and at what temperature?
You need a white with acidity and saltiness, because it has to stand up to the salt of the bottarga and the fat of the pecorino. Vermentino di Sardegna does exactly that job.
Our Entu Vermentino di Sardegna DOC grows on granite soils in Villasimius and is made entirely in stainless steel — no wood. Straw yellow, citrus and white flowers on the nose, with a saline thread. On the palate it's savoury and mineral, with an acidity that keeps the pace. It costs €20 a bottle.
Serving temperature: 8–10 °C, as we state on the product page. Colder and the aromas close up; warmer and only the alcohol is left. In August, outdoors, the glass warms up quickly: better to keep the bottle in an ice bucket and pour a little at a time.
If you want to take the pairing further, dish by dish, there's our guide to what to pair with Vermentino di Sardegna.
What if I want bubbles?
A Pet Nat orange wine like Zankitai — refermented in the bottle with native yeasts, unfiltered, no added sulphites — works well with bottarga and fresh sheep's cheeses. Fine bubbles, savoury finish. Serve at 10–12 °C and open with care.
Pecorino and honey: the last step
At the end of the board comes the cheese, and next to it a honey. The game is in the contrast between the salt of the cheese and the bitter side of the honey.
What we use:
- Thistle honey (€10, 250 g jar): floral, fruity, slightly astringent. From the wild thistle of Villasimius. It's good straight on carasau too.
- Strawberry tree honey (€20): bitter, astringent, lingering. On aged pecorino it's the sharpest contrast you can make. It divides people: some love it, some find it too much.
If you want to know which ages of cheese go best with these honeys, here's our guide to Sardinian pecorino.
How to set the table
- Vermentino in the fridge at least two hours before.
- Broken carasau in a basket, covered with a napkin so the crumbs don't go everywhere.
- Bottarga sliced at the last moment, on a separate plate, with oil and lemon alongside.
- Pecorino out of the fridge half an hour before — cold, it tastes of nothing.
- Honey with a teaspoon, next to the cheese.
Total time: ten minutes, if the bottarga is already peeled.
If you want the wine and honey part already put together, the Sunset Villasimius box (€115) contains Entu Vermentino, Zankitai Pet Nat and a 250 g jar of thistle honey. All that's missing is the carasau.
Frequently asked questions
What wine goes with bottarga?
A dry, savoury white with good acidity. Vermentino di Sardegna is the most direct choice. Skin-contact whites with good saltiness also work, while tannic reds should be avoided: tannin can't stand up to the salt of bottarga.
What temperature should Vermentino be served at?
Between 8 and 10 °C. Colder and you lose the aromas; warmer and the alcohol comes out. Zankitai Pet Nat, on the other hand, should be served at 10–12 °C.
Should pane carasau be warmed?
It depends on what you put on it. With grated bottarga, yes, warmed with a drizzle of oil. With sliced bottarga it's fine dry, so it stays crisp underneath.
How much bottarga per person?
About 10–12 g each if grated, a little more if sliced. It is very salty and very rich: you only eat a little.
Can it be prepared in advance?
The carasau, yes, even an hour before. Sliced bottarga, no: it oxidises and loses its colour. Slice it just before serving.
What's the difference between pane carasau and pane guttiau?
Carasau is the dry sheet. Guttiau is the same bread baked with oil and salt: seasoned, more fragrant, richer.
What goes into a Sardinian aperitivo besides bottarga and carasau?
Sardinian pecorino at two ages, a honey, cherry tomatoes, Sardinian olives and — in spring — fresh broad beans. The rest is optional.
Here the aperitivo isn't a moment of its own: it's what you eat while the sun goes down and nobody has decided yet what to do for dinner. It works best when it stays simple.
Salude e trigu — Colline del Vento
