A Sardinian Cookbook

by Roberta Muir, Roberta Muir

Like so many of the great food cultures, Sardinian cuisine is born of necessity. As a poor people, Sardinians have always foraged for ingredients in the mountains and fennel, asparagus, chicory and nettles; chestnuts, berries and honey. Rabbit, game birds and wild boar are still hunted in the traditional and time-honoured manner. And those living on the coast gather clams, mussels and tiny crabs from along the shoreline for soups and pasta sauces. The primary flavourings are the herbs that grow wild everywhere on the bay leaves, juniper berries, mint and sage, as well as the characteristic Sardinian myrtle, the leaves of which are used in stocks and marinades, and to scent roasted meat while it rests. Giovanni Pilu believes Sardinian cooking should involve fresh produce simply prepared, allowing the full flavour of the ingredients to speak for themselves. Since opening Pilu at Freshwater in 2004, he has expanded his Sardinian repertoire, cooking the food that's in his blood and close to his heart – and it is this food he shares with us in A Sardinian Cookbook.

Genres: Cookbooks

240 pages, Hardcover

First published August 22, 2012

About the author

Cookbook author and freelance food and beverage consultant and writer, Roberta Muir loves sharing her passion for cooking, eating, drinking and travelling while promoting and connecting great producers, products and chefs. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Gastronomy from the University of Adelaide and is a qualified Sherry educator and cheese judge. Author of the Sydney Seafood School Cookbook and 500 Cheeses and co-author of A Lombardian Cookbook (with chef Alessandro Pavoni), A Sardinian Cookbook (with chef Giovanni Pilu) and Wild Weed Pie (with chef Janni Kyritsis), she managed Australia’s largest recreational cooking school, Sydney Seafood School at Sydney Fish Market, from 1997- March 2021. A keen cook, enthusiastic diner and adventurous traveller, Roberta shares her recipes and experiences through her website and weekly newsletters. She lives in Sydney with her husband - photographer, spirits expert and fellow food lover - Franz Scheurer.