In anticipation of my 32 Natural Days post on Saturday, I bring you a teaser of sorts. I spent the day with Alessandro Dettori when I was in Sardinia and had a truly wonderful time. After walking the vineyards and checking out the cellar, he plopped me down in a chair at the family farm table for a 2 hour lunch of Sardinia’s finest dishes. He also opened every wine he produces, but we’ll get to that on Saturday. Now- the feast…aka the lunch of my dreams.
As we approached the kitchen, Alessandro pulled me to the side to show me something. He slid back a massive door to a massive oven. Inside was most of what I would be eating for lunch. He explained that they build a fire in the oven and then remove it leaving the stones within incredibly hot. They then put the food in….and leave it. As simple as that. He said it can stay hot for several hours.
Alessandro recruited his friend, the talented Chef Piero Careddu, to run the kitchen at his agriturismo A Kent’Annos. And Piero definitely delivered; with all ingredients from their farm. And if it wasn’t from their farm, it was from their neighbor’s farm. With that- on to the food!
Antipasti- fresh chopped pepper, pistachio and raisin salad. Eggplant fritelli (little fried balls). Herbed sheep’s milk ricotta (to spread on the fresh baked bread). Cippolini rossi gratinata. Lardo and salami.
Primi- his mama’s zuppa di pane (herbed bread and cheese casserole, essentially). And yes- it was made by his mom, who also works in the kitchen. A sheep’s broth is used to season the dish and it is used in many dishes in Sardinian cuisine. We were also served a pasta dish that was delicious- maltagliati castrato (the dish in the background of the photo above.) The meat comes from a castrated sheep. How this differs from a sheep with fully intact family jewels- I have no idea. But it was pretty darn good.
The traditional Sardinian flatbread pane carasau.
Secondo- Roasted pork with olives (Mama Dettori cured them) and potatoes. Delicious and so good with the wine. Which was what was so amazing about all of it. The wine and the food are meant to be together.
Dolce- holy hell. This was some kind of divine other-worldly moment for me in that which is the dessert experience. This little thing is called a seadas. It’s like a hand pie and is filled with fresh sheep’s milk ricotta studded with lemon zest and covered in honey and crunchy sugar bits.
Yeah. I finished it. And wished for a second. And scraped every last bit of honey that could possibly be salvaged with my fork and without the use of either my finger or my tongue (which would be rude, no?)
A second seadas did not come, but this happy and cheerful man did. Armed with a pan of his ricotta cake.
I am sad to say that I don’t remember this man’s name but I remember his cooking! He was helping with some construction on the property. And you know, he just whipped up this little ditty before coming in to work. It’s just what they do.
We sat outside with our espresso and enjoyed the cake. In addition to my cake, I also had an extremely large grin and not a care in the world.
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ohdearlordallthatlooksAMAZING. you’re the luckiest girl i know. holy YUMS.
my god.
I agree with you…this would be The Lunch of My Dreams too!!!!
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