Pasta in Sardinia: Sos Pipiriolos from Montresta
The discovery of a new dish is more valuable to mankind than the discovery of a new star
When and how does pasta arrive in Sardinia? Now, after years of research we are sure that pasta comes from the Arab world which has conquered places like Sardinia and Sicily by importing their traditions and cultures. Just think that until the Middle Ages, in the archived documents, there is no trace of the name Pasta while the Arabs have left numerous recipes in which the pasta is mentioned several times under the name of Ittria, a Latin name which means Dough of Pasta.
PASTA IN SARDINIA HISTORY
Aristotle, in his documents, talks about how the “people of Sardinia” marketed sardines and numerous other food products, including wheat. For the Greeks the island was happy and fertile, very well positioned strategically and for this reason it was conquered. During the Middle Ages the contribution of Arab culture in Sardinia was so strong that many words of some current dishes derive from the Arab world. Su Vilindeu, angel hair from the Latin fideos which derives from the Arabic fidash, or fur or hair. The same goes for fregola, a pasta very similar to couscous and a term invented by the French on their return from Algeria. The strong and intense tradition of pasta in Sardinia is historically to be brought back to the Arab world and for this we are grateful. Sardinia currently boasts dozens and dozens of types of handmade pasta, from the longest in the world Su Filindeu to the smallest such as Malloreddus di Bessude, however today we will talk about a kind of pasta that is made only in 2 locations in Sardinia: Montresta and Ula Tirso: Welcome to the world of Sos Pipiriolos. We are keep promoting and enhancing off-the-beaten path locations through our guided excursions. Find out more on this page
SOS PIPIRIOLOS
Sos Pipiriolos is a local and unique kind of pasta Its name means Piffero, precisely because of its elongated and tubular shape. Going beyond toponymic issues, sos pipiriolos is a type of bronze drawn pasta, very porous and made using only durum wheat flour, water and salt. Pasta processing can be quite tiring since the pasta should not be soft. As a first step is necessary to prepare long cylinders with a suitable diameter to let the pasta going inside a press and to be cut when the desired length is reached. Once ready, they can be enjoyed fresh or dried, and the typical condiment is a wild pig with tomato sauce with sprinkling of Sardinian pecorino cheese.
WORKING PROCESS
The pasta is made through a bronze plate, a perforated matrix with different shapes. To get our Pipiriolos, usually the plate is made by 4 holes, easy to obtain 4 Pipiriolos at a time. To get our Pipiriolos, usually the plate is made by 4 holes, easy to obtain 4 Pipiriolos at a time Each disc has to be cleaned very well and it’s possible to use it for a maximum of 500 times (more or less). After this time, it could be possible to look some imperfections and it is necessary to replace the plate.
IMPORTANCE FOR YOUR DIET
Why do we call it bronze drawn pasta? Sos pipiriolos is rough and porous, and these elements allows it to better served with the sauce, such as wild pig and tomato. If we talk about nutrition diet, bronze-drawn pasta requires a great quality of wheat (like the Sardinian one) and usually the protein content is between 12-13% per 100 grams. Anyway, the quality of pasta is not given by the quantity of carbohydrates but by the quantity of proteins and the quality of the grain. In the case of the Pipiriolos, Senatore Cappelli wheat is used, ground with the ancient Sardinian stone millstone and the resulting semolina has irregular dimensions and a dark colour, but with a greater taste, aroma and all this leads, from a nutritional point of view, enormous benefits to our intestinal microbiota.
Are you hungry? The best way to see, touch, feel and taste Pipiriolos is through ours Gourmet Expedtion, a wonderful Cooking experience in Montresta, where this pasta is made by genration in geration.
