Look Up Italian Dessert Names From Sardinia to Find The Must-Try Papassini, Seadas and Tiliccas

Sardinia, or Sardegna in Italian, is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and is characterised by diverse geography, including mountain ranges, stunning beaches, and crystal-clear waters. Sounds like a dream, right? It sure is.

When it comes to Sardinian cuisine, people tend to turn to fresh, locally grown, seasonal produce, which is one of the reasons why the region's inhabitants are known to live up to 100 years and more. Sardinia is one of the five Blue Zones in the entire world, owing not just to the fresh and traditional Mediterranean diet and the geography, but also the relaxed and idyllic pace of life the locals usually tend to live. However, despite eating a very healthy diet, Sardinians also know how to indulge. They have some beloved and traditional dessert recipes that tourists just have to try.

Here’s a short list of desserts and sweet treats that you can try if you ever visit Sardinia, Italy's Blue Zone:

Seadas:

Seadas, also known as sebadas or sevadas, consists of a crisp pastry filled with a cream cheese mixture made from pecorino cheese, and flavored with a citrus zest. The pastry is then deep fried until it's golden brown and crunchy, while its interior is gooey and warm. After that seadas are usually drizzled with warm honey. You'll find seadas everywhere in Sardinia but especially at special occasions.

Tiliccas:

Usually known as tillicas di sapa, these cookies are made with wheat flour, semolina and ground almonds, that are baked and filled with sapa, a grape reduction. Sapa is basically made by simmering and reducing fresh grapes with sugar to a thick, syrup-like consistency. Usually, this dessert is prepared for Easter and other festive occasions, especially in northern Sardinia.

Pardulas:

Pardulas, also sometimes known as casadinas or formaggelle, are tartlets that are typically star shaped. They used to be prepared by Italian shephards that raised sheep in the region, and are enjoyed even today. Pardulas have a crispy pastry shell that’s filled with sheep milk’s ricotta cheese flavored with ricotta, saffron, and lemon zest. The pastry shell is usually a mix of wheat flour and semolina, and the dough also contains egg whites, lard, and water. Every tartlet is rolled out individually, stuffed with the filling, and then baked in the oven. Just like tiliccas, you’ll find pardulas a part of Easter feasts.

Papassini:

These are diamond shaped cookies with a basic royal icing and sprinkles, typically made on All Saints Day, a celebration of all the saints revered in Catholicism, but now enjoyed all year round. Pappassa means raisins in Italian, which is a mainstay in this cookie recipe, despite variations being found across Sardinia. Here’s a recipe for these cookies:

Ingredients:

• 480 gm flour
• 320 gm powdered sugar
• 200 gm granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 200 gm unsalted butter
• 80 ml milk
• 3 tbsp walnuts
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 150 g mraisins
• 150 gm peeled almonds
• Sprinkles for decoration

Instructions:

1. Soak the raisins in warm water for about an hour so they become plump and juicy.
2. Then mix flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and unsalted butter together until you get a sandy texture. Set this aside.
3. Heat 80 ml of milk and add baking powder to this. You can do this on a stovetop or in the microwave.
4. Drain the plump raisins, and let them dry.
5. Add the warm milk along with eggs to the sandy dough and incorporate everything thoroughly with your hands.
6. Now add the walnuts, almonds, and the drained raisins. Turn this dough into a ball or flatten it into a rectangle, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate overnight.
7. Before you start baking, preheat the oven to 180°C.
8. Cut the dough into the shape of tiny bread loaves, and flatten them so that they are about ¼ of an inch in thickness. Using your hands, shape them into diamonds.
9. Place them on a lined baking tray or a silicone tray and bake for about 12 to 15 minutes. Get them out of the oven and cool on a wire rack.
10. Finally, create the royal icing by whisking together powdered sugar with egg whites. Cover the top side of the cookies with this and decorate with some sprinkles.