Pane Carasau Recipe on Food52 (2024)

5 Ingredients or Fewer

by: thirschfeld

December15,2010

4.5

4 Ratings

  • Makes 6

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

This is Sardinian flatbread or as it is translated "sheet music" bread. It is really a lot like a cracker although I know it looks much like a tortilla. It is stiff and crackly and in the hands of the Sardinians it is multipurpose. It is simple to make and my version requires no yeast. The most difficult part of the process is rolling it out but after one or two you'll get the hang of it. BTW they are usually baked twice. Meaning this is the first time and when you are ready to eat them you bake them again usually brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary. —thirschfeld

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 cupsunbleached all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cupssemolina flour, fine grind
  • 1 teaspoonbaking powder
  • 1 teaspoonsea salt
  • 1 1/2 cupswarm water
Directions
  1. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of mixer and mix until it comes together and becomes elastic.
  2. Remove the dough from the bowl and kneed it a few times. Set it on the counter and cover it with the mixing bowl and let it rest for 20 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and place a baking stone on the rack. If you don't have a stone you can use several parchment lined sheet tray. After the dough has rested divide the dough into 7 pieces and roll them under the palm of your hand until the becomes smooth balls of dough.
  4. Sprinkle the counter lightly with flour and then dip one of the balls of dough into the flour and shake off the excess.
  5. Using the palm of you hand flatten the dough out and then start rolling it out. Turn it 180 degrees between each roll so it becomes a long oval. Roll it as thin as you can. Using a fork dock the dough.
  6. Gently lift the dough and place it onto the stone and bake it for 5 minutes flipping it after 2 1/2 minutes. While it is baking roll out the next flatbread. Remove from the oven and continue baking the remaining 5 flatbreads.

Tags:

  • Bread
  • American
  • Grains
  • 5 Ingredients or Fewer
  • Make Ahead
  • Appetizer
  • Snack
  • Side

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Wanona Wellspring Dn

  • thirschfeld

  • hardlikearmour

  • Sagegreen

  • mrslarkin

Popular on Food52

13 Reviews

Wanona W. April 9, 2023

Actually the bread is cooked once until it billows up. Then split into two halves. Then baked again until it is crispy like a cracker. Then it will last a year!

TypesOfItalianBread June 6, 2012

A fantastic yet simple recipe. I have written an article on Pane Carasau and have linked your website for a recipe.

Thanks

www.typesofitalianbread.com

thirschfeld December 17, 2010

If anyone is interest her is a video from Sardinia and how they make this bread. I wish I had a wood fired oven... http://www.sardegnadigitallibrary.it/index.php?xsl=626&id=190962

thirschfeld December 17, 2010

makes me think I need to rethink my recipe. The first bread I cooked puffed up like the bread in the video but it did not fall upon removal from the oven. I docked to dough so it would stay flat and it did but I couldn't separate it into thinner layers.

hardlikearmour December 16, 2010

Could you do the second "baking" on the grill instead?

thirschfeld December 16, 2010

I have never tried it. I am sure you could I just don't know if you would get lots of grill marks. Let me know how it goes if you do.

hardlikearmour December 16, 2010

I'll give it a try tonight. I'm making butter chicken, and think this would be a good compliment. I'll report back later.

hardlikearmour December 17, 2010

So over all the grill worked well. Burned the 1st 2 I put on it, too much multitasking is always bad. The rest cooked up nicely, and were spotted with char marks, kinda like naan from the tandoor oven. Got nice and crisp.

Sagegreen December 16, 2010

Love those bubbles. This is one I will enjoy trying, too! Rosemary and olive oil finishes, as well. So glad I brought in my rosemary plant for the winter.

thirschfeld December 16, 2010

thanks Sagegreen, I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as we do.

thirschfeld December 15, 2010

I am guessing anything is good with the potted pig, if it is the same potted pig recipe I saw here on f52

mrslarkin December 15, 2010

yup, that's the one.

mrslarkin December 15, 2010

Oh, I love crunchy. Nice, thirschfeld. This would go really nice with the Potted Pig I just had for dinner.

Pane Carasau Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is pane carasau in english? ›

With its roots in the verb carasare and meaning “toasted bread” in the Sardinian dialect, pane carasau is a traditional bread from the south of Italy, golden in colour and crisp to the touch.

What do you eat pane carasau with? ›

It's generally eaten with pieces of salami or cheese, but can also be modified into different dishes. One version is Pane Guttiau, which is Pane Carasau that is topped with olive oil, pecorino cheese, and salt.

Why is pane carasau a favorite food of shepherds? ›

This Italian bread variation has been traced all the way back to before 1000 BC and was customarily made by women who prepared it for their men working as shepherds in the field as the bread was able to be stored for a long period of time without losing its flavor and texture.

How long can carasau bread last? ›

The recipe is very ancient and was conceived for shepherds, who used to stay far from home for months at a time: pane carasau can last up to one year if it is kept dry. The bread can be eaten either dry or wet (with water, wine, or sauces).

What does pane carasau taste like? ›

With quite a unique flavor and a heavy aroma of cereals, barn, and wood-burning ovens, this flatbread is delicious as a cracker and is typically enjoyed as an accompaniment to various snacks, cheeses, appetizers, and soups.

How do you eat pane carasatu? ›

The bread can be eaten either dry or wet with water, wine, broth or a variety of sauces. It's perfect for brunch or as a nibble. We call it the Sardinian cracker for its crispy thin texture, that works really well on its own or paired with cheese and salami.

What is Sardinian pane carasau? ›

Pane Carasau ~ An Italian flat bread with a crisp, cracker-like texture that is seasoned with aromatic rosemary and coarse sea salt. I have also heard it nicknamed “piano paper” or carta di musica which describes it's thinness.

Where did the Carasau bread come from? ›

Pane carasau is a flat Italian bread, traditionally made in Sardinia characterized by a uniquely thin and crispy texture. Its history starts all the way back to before 1000 BC. The women prepared it for their men who were working as shepherds in the fields.

What is the best bread in Sardinia? ›

PANE CARASAU | Flat Crispy Bread from Sardinia, Italy – EMPORIO ITALIANO.

What is one of the most beloved breads in Italy? ›

Focaccia. One of the most iconic Italian breads, focaccia is a flatbread that's baked on a flat sheet pan with a rich flavor imparted by large streams of extra virgin olive oil.

What is the name of the Maltese bread? ›

Maltese bread, known in Maltese as “Il-Ħobż tal-Malti”, dates back centuries, more precisely to the Phoenician period (725-218 BC). Naturally, its form, ingredients, and texture evolved as more bread-making techniques and tools were introduced to the islands.

Why is the bread so good in Iceland? ›

Traditionally known as hverabrauð, the bread is the sumptuous result that comes from baking dough underground in the heat of local geothermal springs for 24 hours.

What is the famous crisp Sardinian bread called? ›

“Sheets of Music” Sardinian Pane Carasau is sometimes known as “carta di musica” or sheets of music bread because the thin, crispy, bread has a feel similar to that of music parchment. Pane Carasau bread is an ancient classic bread of Sardinia, commonly served with salami and cheese.

Can you eat 8 day old bread? ›

Store-bought bread will typically last five to seven days at room temperature, but can last one to two weeks in the refrigerator. Fresh-baked bread do not contain preservatives, so they typically won't keep as long as commercially packaged breads.

Is pane di casa like sourdough? ›

Pane Di Casa generally has a more dense crumb with a crunchy crust (due to the semolina flour). Sourdough on the other hand has a more chewy crust and a more open crumb. The flavor and texture of pane di casa bread is different to traditional sourdough because of the different leaving agents.

What type of bread is Pane di Casa? ›

Nonna's Pane Di Casa Sliced Italian Style Bread 650g is a type of Italian bread loaf made with flour, yeast, salt, and water. It is typically left unadorned, allowing the flavour of the dough to shine through. Pane Di Casa can be eaten as is, or toasted and spread with butter, jam, or olive oil.

What is Lebanese wrap bread called? ›

Pita bread is typically cut into half and eaten stuffed with filling, “pocket” style. Lebanese Khubz or Khuboos is torn into pieces, and wrapped around food to pick it up and eat. It's typically eaten with stews and curry like dishes which can also be mopped up with flatbread.

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