The process of making Sardinian pane carasau is similarly hypnotic to pitta: a disc of durum wheat dough is baked on a hot surface until it puffs up into an almost-ball. The reason for this puffing is the contrast between the rapidly drying surface of the dough and the evaporating water within the dough. The water turns into steam, causing the centre to balloon and the two layers to separate, creating a pocket and making the whole thing look a bit like an inflated whoopee cushion.
In order to make pane carasau, which in Sardinia is a domestic, artisan and industrial art, the puffed-up dough is swiftly separated into two thin discs with a sharp knife, then the discs are returned – possibly folded in half or quarters – to the oven to dry and toast for a second time according to the maker’s taste. Fortunately for us, there are hundreds of makers and the whole point of pane carasau, also known as carta di musica (music paper bread), is that it is brilliantly transportable and enduring: it lasts and lasts, which is why it’s one of my favourite things to have in the cupboard.
Pane carasau can be eaten in various ways: its crisp, brittle, cracker-like nature makes it a natural partner for cheese (and honey) and soft toppings; it can also be eaten like bread and filled, dipped or broken into soup or stews, or used as part of a salad; or quickly immersed in cold water (or passed under a running tap), which restores moisture, making the discs pliable enough to fold or roll around. Pane carasau can also be used in the same way as sheets of pasta to make – and I am inspired by the magazine La Cucina Italiana here – all sorts of lasagne. I have chosen to make one with a tomato sauce using both fresh and tinned tomatoes, mozzarella (it needs to be well drained) and parmesan. Opinions vary as to whether it is better to use dry or slightly damp pane carasau, but I have come to the conclusion that a mix is best: three dry layers then a final damp layer, which ensures that the top doesn’t dry out too rapidly before the cheese melts, and a golden crust forms.
As with a classic lasagne, rest for 20 minutes or so after baking, so the flavours settle and the lasagne firms up. The great thing about pane carasau is that it is sturdy enough to maintain form, but pliable enough to be cut, and has a lightness usually found only in expertly hand-rolled sheets of fresh egg pasta. Serve cut into squares with a green salad and a glass of Sardinian red wine, such as Bovale Sardo or Cannonau.
Lasagne with Sardinian pane carasau
Serves 4
500g ripe tomatoes
5 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and gently crushed so broken but still intact
400g tin whole plum tomatoes in juice
1 small red chilli (fresh or dried), whole or chopped if you want more heat
Salt
8 basil leaves
180g pane carasau – look for it in Italian delis
400g mozzarella, drained and diced
80g parmesan
Peel the fresh tomatoes by covering them with boiling water for two minutes, draining, then cooling under cold water, at which point the skins should pull away easily. Chop the tomatoes roughly, discarding any tough bits.
Put the olive oil and garlic in a heavy-based pan, then put the pan on a low flame and warm until the garlic gently sizzles – be careful not to burn it. Add both the fresh and tinned tomatoes, bring to a lively simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add the red chilli and a good pinch of salt, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes, using the back of a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes; add the basil for the last 10 minutes. The sauce should be rich, thick and shiny, with the oil forming a ring at the edges.
Assemble the lasagne in a 20cm x 26cm baking dish: start with a layer of sauce, cover with a layer of pane carasau – this can be quite patchwork and informal, with bits overlapping – then make another layer of sauce, diced mozzarella and grated cheese. Continue with another three layers, wetting the final layer of pane carasau very briefly under running water and finishing with a smear of sauce and thin layer of grated cheeses. Bake at 175C (165C fan)/gas 3½ for 20 minutes, until golden.