Pane Carasau Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for pane carasau? ›

Pane modde is a soft, rather flat dough with a rough shape, made with the same dough used for carasau bread. But pane modde is much softer than carasau, making it a perfect bread to fill with other ingredients!

With its roots in the verb carasare and meaning “toasted bread” in the Sardinian dialect, pane carasau is a traditional bread from the south of Italy, golden in colour and crisp to the touch.

It's generally eaten with pieces of salami or cheese, but can also be modified into different dishes. One version is Pane Guttiau, which is Pane Carasau that is topped with olive oil, pecorino cheese, and salt.

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).

With quite a unique flavor and a heavy aroma of cereals, barn, and wood-burning ovens, this flatbread is delicious as a cracker and is typically enjoyed as an accompaniment to various snacks, cheeses, appetizers, and soups.

The bread can be eaten either dry or wet with water, wine, broth or a variety of sauces. It's perfect for brunch or as a nibble. We call it the Sardinian cracker for its crispy thin texture, that works really well on its own or paired with cheese and salami.

This Italian bread variation has been traced all the way back to before 1000 BC and was customarily made by women who prepared it for their men working as shepherds in the field as the bread was able to be stored for a long period of time without losing its flavor and texture.

Discovering the iconic dish of Sardinia: pane carasau. Pane carasau flatbread shares a close historical bond with its place of origin: Barbagia, the wildest and most inland area of the province of Nuoro.

Pane Carasau ~ An Italian flat bread with a crisp, cracker-like texture that is seasoned with aromatic rosemary and coarse sea salt. I have also heard it nicknamed “piano paper” or carta di musica which describes it's thinness.

This bread dates back to ancient times, when shepherds herding their flocks needed a food that would not go bad while they were away from home for long stretches—and pane carasau can keep without refrigeration for a year or so.

What is the best bread in Sardinia? ›

PANE CARASAU | Flat Crispy Bread from Sardinia, Italy – EMPORIO ITALIANO.

“Expired” bread is just stale. It's not unsafe, unless it has gone moldy. And it probably won't get moldy after a few days — especially the kind that takes 3–4 days to go stale. Bread like that is usually treated with anti-molding agents.

Baked Goods and Snack Foods Baked goods and snacks typically have a Use-By Date. Store-bought bread will typically last five to seven days at room temperature, but can last one to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Type of bread: Certain types of bread have longer shelf lives, including loaves made with preservatives and sourdough bread. The lactic acid bacteria found in sourdough slows down the staling process, while the acidity of the bread inhibits microbial growth (read: mold).

Pane Di Casa generally has a more dense crumb with a crunchy crust (due to the semolina flour). Sourdough on the other hand has a more chewy crust and a more open crumb. The flavor and texture of pane di casa bread is different to traditional sourdough because of the different leaving agents.

Nonna's Pane Di Casa Sliced Italian Style Bread 650g is a type of Italian bread loaf made with flour, yeast, salt, and water. It is typically left unadorned, allowing the flavour of the dough to shine through. Pane Di Casa can be eaten as is, or toasted and spread with butter, jam, or olive oil.

Though much like the Italian Ciabatta, this bread is different. The crust of the Pan de Cristal is thinner and crisper with a lighter and more open crumb. Each Pan de Cristal is roughly the size of a Ciabatta and can served and eaten much the same way.