Pane carasau is a traditional flatbread from Sardinia

It is very thin and extremely crisp and is still eaten for three meals a day in Sardinia, as it has been since 1000BC.  The name of the bread comes from the Sardinian word “carasare”, referring to the crush of bread. It is also sometimes known as “carta da musica” (sheet music) because of it’s resemblence to the parchment paper sacred music was once written on. 

Pane carasau can last up to one year if it is kept dry. The bread ( more like a  cracker ) can be eaten either dry or wet (dipped or cooked with water, wine, or sauces). It is made from Semolina or durum wheat, yeast and water. These large 40 cm rounds are rolled out to paper thin sheets and baked in an extremely hot oven, until puffed up like a ball. Then cut around the circumference and divided into sheets and rebaked. When it was common for shepards to take the bread with them on long journeys, it would be folded in half before rebaking, allowing it to be carried easily.

Crisp and mild in flavour it is perfect to accompany cheeses, dips and antipasto. In Sardinia it is also eaten drizzled in olive oil, salt and rosemary and baked or painted with olive oil and reheated on the BBQ, sometimes sprinkled with peccorino and rebaked, or even whole sheets dropped into stock , then layered with tomato sauce and cheese and served a with  poached egg!