The ancient agro-pastoral tradition of Barbagia is celebrated for its unmistakable flavors in the tables of numerous restaurants and agritourisms in the area, guardians of a gastronomic knowledge that dates back to the dawn of time.
Land or sea dishes are enhanced by the authenticity of the products, skillfully prepared by the talented local chefs.
Among the first courses of Dorgali cuisine, we recommend the delicious ravioles or anzelottos, as they are called in the local dialect, filled with fresh cheese or ricotta, seasoned with a rich meat sauce, and sprinkled with grated cheese.
Frattau bread, a simple yet original first course, is made up of layers of carasau bread (the traditional Sardinian "music paper" bread), quickly immersed in boiling salted water, and then seasoned with tomato sauce, pecorino cheese, and eggs.
But the star of the Barbagia table is undoubtedly Su Porcheddu, the roasted piglet, a delightful delicacy flavored only with myrtle leaves and salt. True gems of pastoral culinary tradition are Su Tattaliu (a skewer made up of pieces of heart, liver, lung, and slices of lard, all wrapped in entrails) and Sa Cordedda (braided and roasted lamb intestines).
Seafood menus
The quality, freshness, and creativity in the pairing of different ingredients are the strengths of the seafood menus, where you can find exquisite lobster or delicate spigole from the Gulf of Orosei. Don't miss out on a typical Sardinian specialty: Bottarga (dried and smoked mullet roe) usually grated over spaghetti with oil and parsley. The must-try dish is the delicious fish gnocchi, a dish where the traditions of both sea and land come together. This tasty combination can also be found in the Lasagne with Zucchini and Scampi, where the flavors of countryside products blend with the taste of the sea; a mix that can also be found in Capponi with potatoes.
To end your gastronomic rendezvous with sweetness, you cannot miss Seada, a cheese dessert garnished with honey or sugar. All these delicacies can be enjoyed in restaurants or during mini-cruises in the Gulf (offered by nautical operators) directly on board the boats: in the coolness of caves or in the shade of small fjords along the coast.
Cheese, wine, and oil
A mix of tradition and modernity characterizes the cheeses produced in the town (the local dairy cooperative stands out). Along with the classic pecorino in its various variations, we recommend lataedda, a type of cow's milk provolone, excellent roasted and sweetened with honey; frue, curdled sheep or goat's milk, excellent in salad with tomatoes; the very tasty goat cheeses; sweet or spicy cheese spreads to spread on carasau bread, and fresh and salted ricotta.
Dorgali is also one of the homelands of cannonau wine, as indicated by historical documents from the Roman era and current recognition for the quality of the product obtained nationally and internationally. The local wine cooperative produces a wide range of wines: the classic Cannonau DOC red (excellent with meat), the youthful Filieri (red and rosé), the new Santa Caterina (the first new wine produced in Sardinia), the white Cala Luna (recommended for fish dishes), the precious red Noriolo, and the special cannonau grappas.
