Sardinian Bread Soup

Sardinian Bread Soup, Zuppa Gallurese, more than a soup is more akin to a lasagna made with layers of Carasau –Sardinian Crunchy Flat Bread, thin, crispy discs that sometimes do the job of pasta sheets in Sardinian cuisine. It takes its name from Gallura, a rocky area in the North of Sardinia.

You can also use some stale bread to replace Carasau bread.

It is called a soup, however, because of the meat stock that softens the bread. Traditionally, the stock came from lamb or mutton meat, in any case beef works really well as long as any other meat will do.

The main cheese used is Sardinian Pecorino cheese although there are excellent alternatives if you don’t have easy access to it, such as Pecorino Romano, Provolone, Scamorza or Caciotta. Better to avoid Mozzarella here.

Topping with chopped mint or parsley makes for an intoxicating and colourful garnish.

Serves: 4 | Preparation time: 20 mins | Cooking time: approx. 30 mins

1 lt of warm meat stock
Carasau bread or stale bread: 500 g
Pecorino or Aged Provolone Cheese, shaved: 200 g
Pecorino, grated: 100 g
4-5 chopped fresh mint leaves
A bunch of fresh chopped parsley
Nutmeg: ½ teaspoon
Salt: ½ teaspoon

Method

Prepare the meat stock. Pre-heat oven to 180°C /350F /Gas 4.

Place in a bowl the chopped parsley and mint, add grated Pecorino cheese, a teaspoon of nutmeg and salt. Mix thoroughly.

Break Carasau bread into pieces, possibly not too small, place them to cover the bottom of a lightly oiled baking dish.

Scatter over the bread some pieces of the shaved cheese and a handful of chopped parsley/mint mix.

Pour over some of the warm stock. The bread will soften quickly. Do not to use too much stock or it will turn into a mish – mash.

Continue with layers of Carasau bread, sliced cheese, parsley/mint etc and stock until all the dry ingredients are used up. Dress the top the parsley or mint you reserved at the start.

Bake the Zuppa Gallurese in static oven about 20 minutes. It is ready when a crust has formed.