About the Recipe
Pane Frattau is a traditional dish from central Sardinia, notably the Barbagia region. It is composed of layers of pane carasau (a thin, crisp Sardinian flatbread) softened in hot broth or water, topped with tomato sauce and grated Pecorino Sardo cheese, and often finished with a poached egg. It is served as a complete first course (primo piatto) or main dish.
Ingredients
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 3/4 lb of passata (800 grams)
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
1 1/16 pint of vegetable stock (500 ml)
12 sheets of pane carasau
Pecorino Sardo, grated (as needed)
Preparation
Step 1
Place the oil, onion and the garlic in a medium saucepan set over a medium heat. Fry gently, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the passata and 60ml water, lower the heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season.
Step 2
Poach the eggs in boiling water, one at the time, until the white is set but the yolk is still runny, about 4 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Step 3
Heat the stock in the widest stockpot you have – it should be wider than the sheets of pane carasau. Dip a sheet of bread for a few seconds to soften it, then lift it up and ease it on a plate over a bed of tomato sauce. Top it with more tomato sauce and some grated pecorino. Repeat with two more layers per serving – each person gets three layers of bread – finishing with the sauce and cheese. Serve hot with a poached egg on top.