Carasau bread is a typical Sardinian bread from the area of Barbagia – also known as ‘carta di musica’ (translating to ‘sheets of music’ in English) because of its resemblance to a white sheet of paper.
The main characteristic of this bread? Even if it’s a leavened dough, carasau bread is not soft like other recipes for bread – it’s actually very thin and crunchy. You can serve it alongside a variety of dishes, but carasau bread also works great as an ingredient for many recipes!
But first, let's check out the original recipe.
How to make carasau bread
The ingredients for carasau bread are simple so it’s easy to make at home, but it does require more leavening and baking than the average loaf. For example, the double baking helps to keep the bread crunchier and it lasts longer.
Ingredients
2 lb durum wheat flour, 2 cups of water, ½ oz brewer's yeast and a pinch of salt.
Method
Dissolve the yeast with a little lukewarm water and add the flour, working everything with your hands until you get a soft, lump-free dough. Add a pinch of salt. Then divide the dough into several sections and let them rise (well-covered) for at least two hours away from open air. Then roll out the dough with a rolling pin to form sheets (about 3 millimeters thick). Place onto a baking tray floured with durum wheat semolina flour and bake in a hot oven for a few seconds until the dough just starts to swell. Poke holes and cut it to make the dough even thinner (they should look like paper sheets by now). Return to the oven and bake until crunchy.
The importance of double baking
As we said, double baking is the main characteristic of this bread and it makes it all the more crunchier! In the first baking phase, set the oven to broil – so the dough will begin to swell in just a few seconds. In the second baking phase, lower the oven temperature to 350°F and allow the bread to bake for about 7 minutes.
Here are 5 ideas for serving carasau bread – beyond the usual bread basket at the dinner table. 5 fast and easy-to-prepare recipes, perfect for summer!
Guttiau bread and frattau
Two famous Sardinian recipes based on carasau bread. (‘Guttiau’ means ‘dripped’ in Sardinian dialect.) In this very simple recipe, carasau bread is simply seasoned with oil and salt – just drip it over the bread for this light and tasty snack. Frattau bread, on the other hand, is certainly a more complete dish. The bread becomes a base for a simple tomato sauce to which a fried or poached egg is added and then covered with abundant grated pecorino cheese. Many people do not add the egg, but only tomato and cheese to make a kind of pizza!
Carasau cold lasagna
If you don't feel like baking lasagna in the oven, try this “raw” version (no cooking needed). Just soften the carasau bread sheets in cold water for a few seconds and then arrange them in layers in an ovenproof dish, alternating them with ricotta and tomatoes seasoned with oil, salt and plenty of basil. Of course, you can use whatever ingredients you like in the lasagna– even seasonal vegetables sautéed in a pan are perfect! In winter (or when you feel like turning on the oven), you can also use carasau bread instead of egg pasta. Just bake the lasagna in the oven as usual.
Salad with carasau
Add pieces of carasau bread to your mixed salad to make it crispier and tastier. You don't need to soften them in water first. Just dip them in the dressing.
Carasau bread rolls
A very original and tasty finger food that you can make with whatever ingredients you prefer. Soften whole carasau bread sheets by soaking them in cold water for a few seconds. Then stuff them with cheese, ham or tuna mousse and roll the sheets into a spiral. Let them cool in the fridge for about two hours and then cut them into fairly thick slices.
Carasau wrap
How about a carasau burrito? Using the same procedure as you would for a burrito – just use softened carasau bread to create little wraps with whatever ingredients you want! We suggest sticks of raw or steamed vegetables (i.e. carrots and zucchini with some spreadable fresh cheese). Close them up – as you usually do for spring rolls – by tucking the ends inwards so that the filling does not come out and then roll the wrap.