Sa Panada

Sa Panada (simply called Panada in Italian or English) is one of the tastiest and most comforting Sardinian dishes. Generally speaking, Sa Panada is a savory pie characterized by the presence of “pasta violata” – a dough typically prepared with durum wheat flour and lard (known as “croxu” in Sardinian language) – and filled with a variety of ingredients – typically meat (can be lamb or pork) and potatoes. However, the most traditional version is the one from Assemini where it is stuffed with eels, which locals could easily source in the nearby Santa Gilla lagoon. The most common version, on the other hand, is stuffed with lamb (and at times pork or chicken). Other ingredients that are found across all variations are potatoes, sundried tomatoes, parsley and garlic. There even is a vegetarian version that doesn’t contain lard and which is stuffed with just vegetables – typically artichokes, which in Sardinia are smaller and more tender compared to others found elsewhere; eggplant and bell peppers, along with potatoes, parsley and garlic. Sa Panada is typically a main course – and it’s actually very filling. In recent years though smaller versions have become more common, and you can find “sa panadedda” served as an aperitif along other finger food.