Pane carasau

Pane carasau

Type	Flatbread
Place of origin	Sardinia
Main ingredients	Durum wheat flour, salt, yeast, water
Media: Pane carasau

Pane carasau (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpaːne karaˈzau]; Sardinian pronunciation: [kaɾaˈzau]) is a traditional flatbread from Sardinia.

It is thin and crisp, usually in the form of a dish half a meter wide. It is made by taking baked flat bread (made of durum wheat flour, salt, yeast and water), then separating it into two sheets which are baked again. The recipe is very ancient and was conceived for shepherds, who used to stay far from home for months at a time. Pane carasau can last up to one year if it is kept dry. The bread can be eaten either dry or wet (with water, wine, or sauces).

A similar, yeast-free bread is called carta di musica in Italian (also known as pane guttiau in Sardinian language), meaning music sheet, in reference to its large and paper-thin shape, which is so thin before cooking that a sheet of music can be read through it.

Remains of the bread were found in archeological excavations of nuraghes (traditional Sardinian stone buildings) and it was therefore already eaten on the island prior to 1000 BC.

The name of the bread comes from the Sardinian word “carasare”, referring to the crust of bread.

External links

• A video showing the production of Pane carasau
• History of Pane Carasau