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What is culurgiones ogliastrini?

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Like France has its mother sauces, Rome has its fundamental pastas. There are four classic Roman pasta dishes: cacio e pepe, carbonara, amatriciana, and alla gricia .

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Gricia, Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and Amatriciana are all simple pastas that share the same big flavors of Pecorino-Romano, black pepper, and—in three of the dishes—cured pork. Published Oct. 18, 2018.

How do you fold a culurgione?

Step 6: Folding If you are right handed place the dough between your left index finger and thumb. Take your right index finger and fold a notch in the center. Then alternating with your middle finger and thumb you fold the dough from the sides to the mid while your index finger leads.

What is the famous Sardinia pasta?

Culurgiones are the stuffed pasta of Sardinia. Filled with mashed potatoes, mint and pecorino, this pasta recipe captures the fragrance and flavors of the island in every bite.

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Culurgiones (Sardinian Pasta) Culurgiones are a traditional Sardinian pasta dish stuffed with a potato, pecorino cheese, and mint filling . With their unique and beautiful handmade closure design, they are almost too pretty to eat!

What is the traditional pasta of Sardinia?

Malloreddus alla Campidanese can only be found on the Italian island, making it the quintessential pasta dish of Sardinia – and the one dish every visitor must try. Malloreddus is not a malady.

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Su filindeu, or "threads of God," is the rarest pasta in the world. For a century, it was made by a single family in the Sardinian city of Nuoro for religious celebrations. Today, there are fewer than 10 people there who know the secret to making the pasta as thin as a strand of hair.

Culurgiones Recipe: 4 Easy Steps To Make Sardinian Ravioli (2024)

December 2, 2022December 2, 2022 by Claudia

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Culurgiones are among the best known traditional Sardinian dishes, originating from a region called Ogliastra. The concept of culurgiones is similar to that of ravioli – a fresh pasta filled with other ingredients, measuring between 2-4 inches in length and between 1-2 inches in width. But the shape and the taste are not even remotely similar. Indeed, their shape will remind you of a wheat spike.

The main ingredients of culurgiones are re-milled semolina or durum wheat flour and water for the pasta dough; boiled potatoes, fresh mint, pecorino cheese (the kind of pecorino used varies from place to place) and garlic (finally a recipe that calls for it!) for the filling.

Now, without further ado, let’s get to the recipe. I promise it is easy to follow!

Culurgiones Recipe: 4 Easy Steps To Make Sardinian Ravioli (1)

Table of Contents

Interesting Facts About Culurgiones

Culurgiones are originally from Ogliastra, a region in central Sardinia. They are the kind of dish for which each village – in fact, each family! – has its own recipe. And each of them will inevitably tell you that theirs is the original recipe, and any other one is a bad imitation. Ulassai (where they were traditionally eaten on the “Day of the Dead,” November 2nd), Jerzu, Lotzorai, Osini and Villagrande Strisaili are the most famous places for their production.

My favorite recipe is that from Seui, one of the most scenic villages in Sardinia, where they are made with cas’e fitta, a fresh cheese kept in salt water whose concept is similar to that of Greek feta cheese (though the taste is not even remotely close).

Ask my friend though, and he’ll tell you the best ones are by far those from Arzana, where his dad is from, and which call for no mint in the filling.

There even is a Barbagia (another region of Sardinia) version of culurgiones – they are made with fresh cheese and served with meat and various sauces, so not really similar to the ones from Ogliastra.

Culurgiones Recipe: 4 Easy Steps To Make Sardinian Ravioli (2)

Tips To Make Sardinian Culurgiones

Use the best fresh pecorino cheese

The cheese used to prepare culurgiones varies from village to village. For this recipe, I have used a mix of three kinds of pecorino. You should be able to get a good Sardinian pecorino (mild to fresh) at any good Italian grocery store.

Don’t use Greek Feta

Feta is saltier than pecorino (which is salty enough already), and the texture is different. Just try to get a mild and softer and an aged pecorino for this recipe.

Don’t peel the potatoes

I know, peeled and chopped potatoes boil much quicker, but they also lose the texture. So, it’s best you don’t.

Culurgiones Recipe: 4 Easy Steps To Make Sardinian Ravioli (3)

You can freeze your culurgiones

Make sure to freeze them raw, and eat them within 3 months.

How to serve culurgiones

Culurgiones are typically eaten boiled, either plain with just grated pecorino cheese on top (and no such thing as olive oil or butter, which would cover their delicious taste) or in a plain tomato sauce.

You can even fry them – and the result is truly heavenly. They become mouthwatering bites with a crispy shell and a filling that literally melts in your mouth.

Don’t serve culurgiones with butter.

Butter has a strong flavor and it’d take away the already delicious flavor.

Yield: 6

How To Make Sardinian Culurgiones

An easy to follow recipe for Sardinian culurgiones, prepared using various kinds of pecorino cheese.

Prep Time2 hours

Cook Time5 minutes

Total Time2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough

4 and 3/4 cups (600 grams) of re-milled semolina or durum wheat flour
1 and 1/3 cups (300 ml) of water at room temperature
Salt to taste

For the filling

3 large red potatoes
10 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 and 1/3 (120 grams) cups of fresh pecorino cheese
1 and 1/3 cups (120 grams) of seasoned / hard pecorino cheese
1 cup (100 grams) of a slightly sour cheese
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

Instructions

STEP 1 - PREPARE THE FILLING

Place the potatoes in a pan with cold water and bring to the boil. Cook the whole, unpeeled potatoes in salted water until fork tender - pierce them with a fork to check they are. Run them in cold water to cool them, and once cold peel them and mash them.
Add the grated cheeses, the garlic and mint.
Mix well.
Cover the mixture with cling film and let it rest in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.

STEP 2 - PREPARE THE DOUGH

Gradually add salty water to the flour and knead continuously.
Work energetically until a smooth and lump-free dough is obtained.
Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest for half an hour.

STEP 3 - PREPARE THE CULURGIONES

Roll out the dough into a well-floured surface and into thin sheets of about 1 mm and with a pastry cutter or a glass cut out some round sheets of about 8 cm (3 inches) in diameter.
In each of them put a portion of stuffing the size of a walnut.
Close with the classic spike closure, as shown in the video. You will have to pinch the end and fold it onto itself, and repeat it until you close the culurgione. Place them on a floured tray.

STEP 4 - COOK THE CULURGIONES

Cook the culurgiones in abundant salted water for about 4/5 minutes - or 2 minutes from the moment they start floating. Don't drain them, but pick them up from the pot with a skimmer. Serve them with seasoned pecorino cheese or a fresh tomato and basil sauce.
You can also fry culurgiones in hot sunflower oil (165 degrees) for a fun aperitif.

Notes

Don't add any fat - oil or butter - to the culurgiones, either in the preparation process or once boiled. They are best enjoyed plain, with grated pecorino cheese.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 787Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 805mgCarbohydrates: 119gFiber: 8gSugar: 2gProtein: 35g

Where To Eat Culurgiones In Sardinia

You will find culurgiones served at most restaurants around Sardinia, and definitely in all restaurants in Ogliastra. The best are usually found at very traditional places and agriturismo that make their own. Some restaurants in Cagliari have started serving a revisited version, which is quite yummy but a far cry from the original recipe.

Having said so, here is a selection of restaurants where you can taste them.

PANI E CASU – one of the best traditional Sardinian food restaurants in Cagliari.

MEC PUDDU’S – a Sardinian fast food where you can try local dishes at very reasonable prices. There is a restaurant in Santa Maria Navarrese, in Ogliastra.

RIFUGIO DEL GOLGO – a very traditional restaurant located in the stunning setting of the Golgo Plateau, right above the lovely village of Baunei, that serves the local version of this dish.

SU CUMBIDU – located in Cagliari’s La Marina quarter, this is one of the most popular traditional restaurants in town.

SA DOMU SARDA – allegedly the best culurgiones in Cagliari.

RISTORANTE ADA – A very popular place with locals, it prepares dishes of the Sardinian tradition with the freshest ingredients.

LE SEGRETE – this lovely restaurant in the heart of Cagliari makes its very own version of the dish: the pasta dough is black and it is filled with potatoes and shrimps and served with a sauce prepared with fish broth and burrata cheese.

Other Recipes

For more readings about Sardinian food and wine, check out these posts:

How To Make Pani Frattau
How To Make Sardinian Zeppole
How To Make Burrida Alla Cagliaritana
How To Make Spigola Alla Vernaccia
How To Make Agnello Coi Carciofi
How To Prepare Malloreddus Alla Campidanese (Gnocchetti Sardi)
How To Make Seadas – Sardinian Cheese And Honey Pastries
How To Make Sa Panada From Sardinia
How To Make Su Mazzamurru: Sardinian Bread And Tomato Lasagne
How To Make Sardinian Fregola Con Arselle
The Most Delicious Sardinian Food: Everything You Must Try
A Guide To Sardinian Wines
15 Must Visit Wineries In Sardinia

This post was written by Strictly Sardinia contributor Gianni Simonetti. All photos in this post to be credited to Gianni Simonetti. Make sure to check out his Instagram channel for more delicious recipes.

Massive thanks also to Francesca Ambus for showing us how culurgiones are made! You can follow her here – but I shall warn you, it is highly addictive.