How to Make Pane Carasau (Sardinian Flatbread)

This is Sardinian simplicity at its finest. 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. Many Sardinian locals affectionately call this flatbread carta da musica (meaning “sheet music”) in relation to its oversized and paper-thin shape, which - as a rule - is said to be so thin before cooking that a sheet of music can be read through its translucent surface. We love our pane carasau served warm with a generous glug of quality extra virgin olive oil, enhanced, of course, by the saline crunch of a scattering of sea salt flakes.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes (5 minutes per flatbread)

Makes 5-6

Calories per flatbread: 276kcal

Ingredients

• 220g plain flour
• 250g semolina flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 350ml warm water
• Extra virgin olive oil and sea salt flakes to serve

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, mix until everything comes together and forms an elastic ball.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, knead it on the counter for around 5 minutes or until it begins to spring back from the touch. When done, put it on the counter and cover with a tea towel, letting it rest for at least 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees C. 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 trays. After the dough has rested divide the dough into 7 pieces and roll them under the palm of your hand until they become 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 your 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. Place the breads on the parchment-lined baking sheets or baking stone and bake each one for 2 and a half minutes. You may need to do this in batches.
7. Flip sheets and bake for another 2 and half minutes or until bread is a golden, crispy brown.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Then, brush or drizzle the pieces of bread with a good glug of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt flakes to serve.

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