Pane carasau originated as a practical meal for shepherds who spent weeks away from home. The bread does not spoil even after several months if it is stored properly. This made it ideal for travelling and for the mountains.
The dough is made from flour, water, salt and yeast. Once it has risen, it is rolled out into very thin cakes which are baked in a very hot oven. During baking, the pancake is puffed up like a balloon, then removed, cut in two and baked again briefly to give it a crisp consistency.
Pane carasau is eaten dry as a side dish with sausages or cheese, but it is often moistened with water or broth, cursed withtomato sauce, cheese and sometimes even an egg - thus creating the traditional 'pane frattau', the Sardinian equivalent of lasagne.
You can find it in every Sardinian supermarket, restaurant and farm shop. In recent years, it has also appeared in Italian shops on the mainland and abroad as a traditional delicacy.
