Cucina Del Paradiso: The Sardinia Kitchen

By Tino Rozzo

Food and Drink: In this chapter I discuss the cultural attributes of Italy and Sardinia.
Since cuisine contributes to a culture, along with its method and style.

Nulvi, Sassari: The history, society, and culture of Nulvi Sassari is discussed.
And the Candlieri. The parade of the candlestick, for the faithful, is not only ornamental; it is an ornament of religious rituals more closely focused on the country's patroness, the Blessed Virgin Assumption. After the tour of the country, in fact they are placed inside the church with a clear order: the first farmers to enter into a church and settle the candlestick in the center. Artisans occupy a place on the right of the Madonna and the shepherds - who have the honor to open the fashion show - are to the left. They are the crown of the Virgin catafalque, sleeper, which is placed in the center. Each year, the Madonna is clothed and adorned by a small circle of women who have the privilege to perform this rite behind closed doors. Then begin the vespers and enter the Angel in the church with the apostles, men of the choir of Santa Croce in particular clothing, a sign of Spanish domination that intoning "Ave Maris Stella" accompanying simiulacre dell'Assunta that is placed on the bed.

Nuragi: The largest island civilization was that of the ancient Nuraghi (Nuraghic Civilization), which evolved from the bronze age to iron age. This was from 1800 BC to the Roman conquest in 111 BC. For convenience of study, The Nuragic age is divided into three periods, each characterized by a particular type of Nuraghi and an important historical event.


The Sardinian Kitchen: Sardinian cuisine is the representative of the territory in which Sardinians reside, to its origins. Like the land, the Sardinian cuisine is pure, simple, and flavorful.
The morphological characteristics of the climate and encourage the development of a cuisine of flavors and ingredients. I decided to express the authenticity.
Sardinia has succeeded over the centuries, to maintain their characteristics agro-nutrition.
Sardinian food is organic and healthy. Their lifestyle may allow some people to live over 100 years of age.

History of the Sardinian Kitchen: The pastoral tradition, strong in all regions, giving rise to a surprising variety of local products, born not only by the presence of raw materials linked to itself, but also by the need to live, for medium-long time without having the possibility of preparing complex foods. Sardinian cooking is very simple.






Sardinian Cheeses: Sardinia has always been considered a symbol of pastoral civilization, and the goat and sheep rearing is the most important economic activity. Among the most valuable find pecorino sardo cheese DOC (Denominazione Di Origin Protetta=Denomination of Origin Protection) produced exclusively in Sardinia.

Sweets: Deserts like Pabasinas, Panexxeddu, Flan, Bones of the Dead, (Osso di Mortu.)

Seafood: Burrida, Crabs , Casola E Peschia, Scabbeciu.

Poultry and Meat: Varied with Roasts, Barbecue, Porcheddu.

Pasta: Malloreddus, Lorigtthas, Sardinian Lasagna, Pillas.

Rice: Varied traditional rice recipes never covered in any cookbook..

Bread: Extenseive chapter on Breads, like Pan Carasau, Spianata, Mazzamurru.

Eggs and Vegetables: Sardinian omelets and Vegetarian dishes.

An Magic Happens: My personal Story of Sardinia , my visit, and some of its people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 8, 2009
• ISBN: 9781441576743

Tino Rozzo

Costantino "Tino" Rozzo was born in and raised Paterson NJ, now residing in Vineland NJ. Tino Rozzo attended Public School #18 and Passaic County Tech. Considered a very educated person. He is famous for his ideas and his points of view. He has also been on TV and Radio many times. His interviews have been published in the USA and abroad. Tino Rozzo has experience as a freelance writer, philosopher, cook, and a world traveler. Writer of humor books, poetry, spiritual and political philosophy. In 2006 Tino released his Acoustic Guitar CD, "Dreaming Swan" and "Uncle Freddies Electronic Shop". He is a culinary and writer of cookbooks.

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Copyright © 2009 by Tino Rozzo.

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Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

FOOD AND DRINK

THE MENU

NULVI SASSARI

THE NURAGHI

THE KITCHEN SARDA

HISTORY OF THE KITCHEN SARDA

SARDINIAN CHEESE

SWEETS

SEAFOOD

POULTRY

MEATS

SARDINIAN PASTA

RICE

BREAD

EGGS AND VEGETBLES

AND MAGIC HAPPENS

BONTA E SALUTE A TAVOLA –ANGLONA SAPORI (FLAVORS OF ANGLONA)

Special Dedications to:

Gianfranco Rozzo, Wife Cristiana, and Daughter Marta. http://www.holidayinsardinia.com Salvatore Carucciu, Bastianino Piredda. The kind families in Nulvi and Pedras De Fogu. Carmela and Bob Mayerson. Mom, Theresa Rozzo. Teresina Puddu of Cagliari. Friends at Gente De Sardegna, who also volunteered some photos.

Luz Merced, Tymur Lamburets, Esther Cossu, Master Ed Crespo and the people at Disciples of Martial Arts. Also, Ziama, Miss Diamonte, Incantos, Agresti, Barbarcina, Paola, Sarabus72, Memi, Nuraghica, Afabica at Genta di Sardegna. Carlo Palma.Marcia Bell

www.sardamed.com and www.caviarprincess.com

Blogs:

http://caviarappreciation101.blogspot.com/

http://hittinginfinity.blogspot.com/

http://medtraveladventure.blogspot.com/

Efisio Farris (Book: Sweet Myrtle, Bitter Honey

Book: Sweet Myrtle Bitter Honey

http://www.gourmetsardinia.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book would not be possible without the following persons who where either in my life, away from my life, and too the kindness and generosity of those who cared. Not in any order of importance I will start with The New York Public Library and its informative librarians in which there are none greater in the galaxy.

The Italian Wine and Food Institute, New York City. For the two most important persons in this book, my Grandmothers from Italy. Katerina (Cacavatta) Lamanna and Carmela Polumbo Rozzo. Granny #1 introduced me to Gnocchi making at a tender young age, Granny #2 to the art of real pizza making. Amongst other things.

Both grandfathers’: Costantino Rozzo, Giovanni Lamanna To my cousin Doctor Joseph Pep Rozzo in Pomigliano D’Arco, (NA), Italy. Too Elsie Cardia, at The Beatrice Inn on W12th St, New York City. And the memory of Ubaldo Cardia her husband.

Grateful acknowledgement to Dr Paolo Piquereddu, coordinator General of Instituto Superiore Reginale Etnografico. And the informative books he has sent from Nuoro. Most grateful acknowledgement to Dr Fulvia LoSchiavo, Soprintenza Archeologica, Sassari, for supplying me with the information that helped me complete this book. Loredana Cicu Salinas, who’s recipes influenced part of this cookbook.

To Emral Lagasse, Mario Batali, Rachel Ray, Julia Child, Martin Yan, Mary Esposito, Tony Bourdaine, and Graham Kerr for being my teachers.

INTRODUCTION

From first time I heard that I was of Sardinian extraction, I had no idea what Sardinia was. I was mostly exposed to Neapolitan and Calabrese culture. In 1969, I spent 2 months in Pomigliano D’Arco, Naples. My Father is from Pomigliano D Arco, Naples, my Mother’s family is from San Floro, Catanzaro, Calabria .My paternal grandparents where from Sardinia.

It is easy to think that this Grand Island was just like Italy itself. Well, it is not. Who had any idea of what the island is all about? This India in the middle of the Mediterranean it is called.

There was a magazine about Italy that I found in the doctor’s office, and the main topic of one article was about the Island. As I read it, I became more intrigued. I tried to find out all I could. Finding information was difficult, and Italian books seem to literally ignore it. Until recently, there where several books on the subject that where mostly inadequate. I did found a few good books though. One was Padre Padrone by Gavino Ledda.

This book was made into a movie which I it saw on video. Then the great Sardinian writer and Nobel Prize winning Author Grazia Deledda were discovered. I read her book La Madre

(The Mother). Unfortunately, only a few of her books exist in English. Information from the Italian Government office excludes her from any mention.

There is a good biography in print on Grazia Deledda written by Susan Balducci.

One of the few other writers published in English is Sebastiano Satta.

His book Judgment Day is a Nuoroese Canterbury Tales.

He is a relative of Grazia Deledda. The hardest thing was penetrating Sardinian culture.

Something not many books have done. I recommend APA Insight Guides: Sardinia: published by Mifflin/Houton out of New York City.

It is the best book in English on the subject and covers the Island expertly.

It even shows the people. Something most books do not do.

Now there is this book. I spent years of collecting data and information. Collecting recipes and cultural information. I am happy this is complete and I can share with you.

SARDINIA:

The island of Sardinia is the second largest in the Mediterranean. Sicily is the largest. It has a culture all its own with a language all its own that qualifies as a Romance Language. The language, called Sarda, has a few dialects.

It is closer to Latin then another Romance language.

It is now on the endangered species list of languages.

Which means it is a dying language. Also, it is on he endangered language list.

Sardinia was settled during the Neolithic Era, 9000 years ago.

Some evidence shows that it had to be earlier then that.

Future historians will have to debate that topic. A recent article says they had ovens for baking as far back as 3,000 BC. Which for that time were

considered state of the art.

In addition, they built large conical fortresses called the Nuraghi. A magazine called Italy/Italy did an article on them in 1994. They are suppose to be as mysterious as the ancient pyramids. The island is covered with their ruins.

As legend would have it, their only one god created Sardinia, Sardus Patter. Whom, when the Greeks came, they adapted to the god Hercules. According to this legend Iolis, Hercules nephew, and his sons discovered the island. There is a mountain range called the Ollolai (Iolis) Barbargia. Imagine Michael Hurst from the Hercules TV series. He was the actor who portrayed Iolis.

The Island had a misfortune of being of strategic importance to other Mediterranean nations.

The first invaders where the Carthaginians. They stayed 450 years until the Romans defeated them and threw them out.

Sardinia was a dominion of the Roman Empire until its fall.

Then in the Italian States Pisa, Genoa, etc. Then it was dominated by the Spanish, House of Aragon. The Catalonian City of Alghero is located on the North West Coast and Catalan culture is well at hand there even today.

Sardinia had been passed around from various dominant nations such as Spain.

The people of the Island suffered horrible hardships, persecution, and abuse. The island, between invaders and diseases was in despair.

Only in the early 1980’s has Sardinia emerged as a modern island with wonderful tourism and technological conveniences. Through it all the Sards maintain a strong culture and traditions all there own.

This Island is a proud extension of Italian culture.

FOOD AND DRINK

The hallmark of any people’s culture is their cuisine. It is the easiest and best indulgence one can afford and proud to partake. The main staple of their food is bread, meat, and cheese. Sardinia is the land of shepherds.

Seafood was not a major staple, especially since the Sards had a bad time with invaders from the sea. The old saying was All bad things come from the sea. Now nice things come from the sea and are included in this cookbook.

At best, Sardinian food is all natural and unadulterated. No fancy manipulations. Nothing that is artificial. It can be either involved or simple. Yes, it comes out of a proud tradition. Yes, the upper class made it sumptuous. And Yes, it is becoming sought after in the USA. A friend, Elsie Cardia, who owns the Beatrice Inn in Greenwich Village, says people have dropped in to her restaurant and demanded Sardinian food. Unfortunately, not much Sardinian food there, though the Italian food is excellent.

Roasts:

This form of cooking is often referred to as Criaxiu. A whole is dug in the earth and it is secured by spikes to shore up the soil so it doesn’t collapse. A six inch trench is dug around a whole forming a wall. Coals are burned inside the ground, as the animal of choice, kid, suckling of pig, lamb, or veal is skewered and lowered into A pit and cooked with aromatic herbs.

Of coarse modern ovens replace this method looking exactly like they may as many Puerto Ricans use this method.

The Spick goes through the Suckling and is cooked up right.

Arrosti:

This is the popular form of cooking in Sardinia.

If you are an adventurous camper, you could try the above method.

Home grills and ovens are best. Barbecues are excellent. My friend Eric has a friend who made an out door rotisserie. We had roast suckling of pig at his wedding. Word can not describe how delicious this piggy was. Roast suckling of pig is the dish of Sardinia and it is called Porcheddu. I am a lamb fan and I admit lamb come out so wonderfully also.

The best roasts in Sardinia are made during the special holidays.

This presents a social duty to present good and plentiful food. This, Yet, is another addition to the excellence of Mediterranean cooking.

THE MENU

The eating habits of Sardinia are similar to that of the rest of Italy and Europe. Since the Sardinian diet is rustic recent changes have been made to accommodate tourists. This is why seafood has become popular. The Sardinian diet is considered one of the worlds healthiest diets. Low in fat, are the sheep and goat cheese.

The breakfast is usually simple. There is normally a pot of espresso with slices of bread which may be toasted. When I was there I usually ate Melba toast with a chocolate nut spread called Nutello.

(This is through out Italy)

Sandwiches are the staple for lunch and they vary according to taste.

There are many varieties of sandwiches that one may one day be able to write a book on the subject. Antipasti’s are made with smoked sausages and lamb tripe. How ever, this can be passed over for something more familiar to the palate.

Lunch Alla Sarda usually consists of cheeses and sweets. There are many popular cheeses such as Fiore di Sard, Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Tipo Toscanelo, Canestrato (a cylinder shaped goat’s milk cheese), ricotta, and mozzarella. Yes, there are uncountable others available. Most of these cheeses are made from sheep’s milk.

The sweets consist of many varieties. When I was putting this cook book together I included the most popular. I am happy to say there are many. Sebabas/Seadas are very popular not only amongst Sardinians, but they are a sought after snack by tourists. They are super simple to make at home.

As far as dinner goes, it is either a arrosto, game, or pasta. The difficulty in translating some of the recipes was learning that the pasta was listed by their shapes, like bavette which is a bow tie shaped pasta. The Italians make pasta in thousands of shapes. This was a little confusing at times. But after reading the recipe, it was easy to determine what it was.

Further research is being done now on more Sardinian culture and cuisine. In the beginning, this cookbook would be the few to have Sardinian recipes. This is changing.

There are unfortunately, several books that are out of print. They would be very informative. Provided one can find them. As always, if the original ingredient to a recipe cannot be found, feel free to use your choice of substitutes. There are always a need for substitutes and improvisation, if it is necessary. Please do so.

NULVI SASSARI

Nulvi is found at the foot of Mount San Lorenzo where one can admire a large part of Anglona, much of the historical in Sardinia where much of the land is currently under survey by several scholars at the University of Sassari and the subject of several thesis.

The first written records, dating around the1000 AD, shows that it belonged to Nulvi Giudicato Torres (or Logudoro) and in particular to the liquidators of Anglona along with cities like Bulzi, Castelsardo, Chiaramonti, Erula Laerru, Martis, Perfugas, Sedini, Viddalba, etc.

Also had the role of capital when, in 1448, ended the history of the lordships of the Doria family in Sardinia. In 1420, The Island was under Spanish rule, Nulvi became an important town for the sake of Agriculture and administration.

A refugee, Nicolo ‘Doria, and the strategic position of the city, allowed him to withstand long sieges repeated Catalan: they yielded in 1448 and the Aragonese, perhaps to punish so much resistance, preferred to organize the new administrative system around the Villa of Nulvi. Therefore, he assumed that they leadership of the region. . Indeed, the Casalis wrote in his monumental "Dictionary of the States of the King of Sardinia.

I am in Nulvi. They are laboring, kind, and good men, but reluctant to progress, nor can they easily become a custom and change; but also and mainly because physical isolation which could be defined as atavistic. Due to its lack of roads and in any case, the infrastructure systems that effectively prevent a takeoff and the socio-economic development as has occurred in coastal areas of Sardinia.

With the particular character of the population of Nulvi, little inclined to change and tied to tradition, have a party led the country to lose its central place in Anglona (The Region Nulvi resides). Isolated, it seems to closes in on itself. On the other hand, this closed nature and linked to their customs and habits are undamaged. They suntil are quite the same as hundreds of years ago. The civil and religious traditions are more important. In addition to the Candelabra/Candelieri and the rites of Holy Week, in fact, Nulvi is one of the few cities in Sardinia to celebrate with the original costumes.

(Candalabra is Candelieri. The Symbol of Nulvi as a Celebration and religious Festivity) Suntil Casalis, collecting testimonies of’Angius, describe a very active and central Anglona for wealth and services. In mid-1800 the fact of Nulvi, Angius said that it was a the village of Sardinia, in the Province and the Prefecture of Sassari. Capital of the mandate and the Principality of Anglona. The old Department of Logudoro

The primary school was attended by about 35 pupils (respectable number when compared to these times), and only a few decades later, in 1884, was inaugurated the first practical school of Sardinian Agriculture was found located at the convent of Santa Tecla, the same building which was then Asylum Flower Child.

The culture and traditions of Nulvi can be traced back to distant eleventh century, which dates back to the first written history of Nulvi.

Significant part in the culture Nulvese had various religious orders and congregations who, for various reasons, were present at Nulvi over the centuries. Proof of this