Agriturismo Dining - La Colti Cannigione

Sardinian cookery is bursting with intense, fruity and aromatic flavours and offers a rich repertoire of dishes for a memorable culinary experience.

Traditional Sardinian cuisine tastes of the island itself with fish from the sea, herbs from the mountains and fruit and vegetables ripened in the warm Mediterranean sunshine. Seafood and wild game give strength and distinction to meals with different breads and local wines being the essential basics.

There are many typical Sardinian Agriturismo restaurants that usually serve a set menu of local Sardinian dishes including pane carasau (paper thin bread baked with olive oil and rosemary) Sardo ham, sausage and Pecorino cheese, homemade pasta such as ricotta and spinach ravioli, farm reared suckling pig (porcheddu) roasted with garlic and rosemary potatoes and followed by traditional seadas (pancake) filled with lemony Pecorino cheese and drizzled with orange flavoured honey accompanied, of course, by local wines. Make sure you try a glass of Mirto or Limoncello - the local digestivo!

La Colti Agriturismo is immersed in Gallura in the north east of Sardinia in a countryside setting yet within easy reach of Cannigione and the Costa Smeralda. This rural oasis offers an authentic taste of Sardinia enjoyed in the rustic-chic farmhouse courtyard with traditional Sardinian decor featuring handcrafted ceramics, woven textiles and weathered wood.

Huw & Alison from Just Sardinia and friends were lucky enough to dine at La Colti in August. The tables were set beneath the soft glow of rustic lanterns and the evening began with a selection of Sardinian appetizers, known as antipasti. Plates of pane carasau were served alongside an assortment of cured meats, olives, and cheeses. The flavours were bold and earthy, a reflection of Sardinia's rugged landscape and Mediterranean influences. A bottle of local Vermentino wine was uncorked, its crisp and citrusy notes pairing beautifully with the antipasti. The group raised their glasses in a toast, savouring the moment and the anticipation of what was to come.

For the pasta course they were treated to Zuppa Gallurese (typical dish similar to lasagna), ravioli di ricotta al pomodoro and homemade malloreddus, Sardinia's signature pasta, served with a hearty wild boar ragu. Next was the arrival of the Sardinian suckling pig, known locally as Porceddu, roasted to perfection over an open fire, the skin crisped to golden perfection by the open flames, the taste of Sardinia captured in each bite, served with a side of patate arrosto providing a delicious contrast to the rich, smoky flavours of the pig.

The attentive local waiting staff related stories of Sardinian culinary traditions including the art of roasting porceddu over an open fire, a practice that dated back generations and was often the centre piece of Sardinian celebrations. It was an evening of cultural immersion, with the food becoming a bridge to understanding the history and traditions of the island.

Dessert was a sweet finale featuring Seadas, a Sardinian pastry filled with local pecorino cheese and drizzled with honey, along with a glass of homemade Mirto (a traditional liqueur made from the berries of the myrtle plant and the herbs rosemary and juniper) - do try it!  It was a fitting end to a meal that had celebrated the essence of Sardinia's culinary traditions.

Huw & Alison commented that the evening was an amazing Sardinian cultural experience and highly recommend visiting an Agriturismo restaurant during your stay on the island. “It feels like stepping into a Sardinian Nona (grandmother) cozy kitchen, where generations of recipes have been lovingly prepared”.