Pane frattau

Pane frattau is a classic Sardinian dish of the crispiest, wafer-thin bread, layered and topped with tomato sauce, eggs and pecorino cheese. It is fi lling but frugal. You’ll need pane carasau for the very thin base, which is sold in many Italian delis and is widely available online. Many years ago, Antonio Carluccio told me that he had used matzo crackers as a substitute and although they work, they make the dish a lot heavier. Many Sardinians use three layers of bread for this; I fi nd that two is substantial enough, but add another if you wish.

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Step 1

First, prepare the sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan set over a low heat.

Step 2

Add the garlic and fry gently for a couple of minutes, taking care not to brown. Add the passata and simmer very gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure that it doesn’t stick. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Step 3

Bring a pan of water to the boil (this is for poaching the eggs).

Step 4

Place a frying pan wide enough to accommodate the sheets of pane carasau on a medium heat. Add the stock and when it comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to low so that it stays warm. Meanwhile, poach the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper until you’re ready to assemble.

Step 5

Put a spoonful of tomato sauce on a serving plate and spread it out.

Step 6

Take 1 slice of pane carasau and drop it into the simmering stock. It doesn’t matter at all if it’s broken (the slices are very fragile so this is likely). Remove it with a fi sh slice after a couple of seconds as you want it to soften, but not to go mushy or disintegrate. Place this slice on top of the tomato sauce on the plate, then spread some more sauce on the bread layer, sprinkle generously with cheese and then top with another layer of softened pane carasau. Finish with another layer of tomato sauce, grated cheese and fi nally a poached egg.

Step 7

Assemble the remaining 3 portions and serve immediately.