Pane Frattau is a classic dish of Sardinia’s fascinating interior around the Barbagia. It consists of sheets of dry Carta di Musica (pane carasau) flatbread dipped in water or broth to soften, then layered wtih pecorino Sardo cheese and tomato sauce and topped with a fried egg. It’s Sardinian fast food, as it takes just minutes to prepare if you have everything ready.
Pane Carasau, also called carta di musica because the dried sheets of flatbread halves take on the color of parchment of music paper, was a survival food of shepherds taking their flocks on the transhumance. They’d last months in a saddlebag and could be used to make dishes like pane frattau. One can also make pane guttiau from the sheets by adding salt, olive oil and herbs if available and warming the bread for a delicious snack.
The picture above is of the Pane Frattau served at one of our favorite Barbagia restaurants, Su Gologone.