My Sardinia

What is a visit to Italy without sampling each region’s version of the pizza? The same applies for a visit to Sardinia. As one would expect, the pizza in Sardinia is not like the commercial pizzas - the international-version pizzas - found in popular eateries around the word. Here, the pizza is not deep-pan, nor does it come topped with pineapples. Pizzas in Sardinia come flat and the choice of toppings is a little bit less varied than one finds in places other than Italy.

They’re also less neat than those cooked in commercial electric ovens. The traditional way of cooking pizza is in a wood-fired oven (forno a legna), thus making them bubbly and very hot, often tasting of the charcoal used to fire up the oven.

Because the Sardinians make their pizzas through these traditional ovens which take some time to set up and get to a satisfactory temperature, the task can be quite time-consuming. As a result, pizzas are often served only during the evening, except on Sundays. Tourist spots and resorts can be expected to have pizzas available on a more frequent basis. Visitors can also expect to find pizzas in the bigger towns in the more touristy pizzeria-ristorantes, which serve food other than pizza but which also charge a bit more. On the whole though, you can find pizza for sale in freestanding stalls or formal restaurants, often selling only pizzas, some drinks, chips, and maybe salads.

It’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy Sardinian pizza with a cold glass of beer or even a Coke in place of the usual wine; it’s also okay to slice it up and eat it with your hands.

Expect to pay €4 for a basic cheese and tomato pizza, and upwards of €4 to €6 for something with a bit more toppings and trimmings.