Eat Like a Sardinian: Live to 100

By Francesco Mattana

Hardcover, $27.99 15% off Eat Like a Sardinian during November instore at Book Beat

Sardinia was the first place to be designated a “Blue Zone” by Dr. Gianni Pes, senior researcher at the University of Sassari. A Blue Zone is a region with a large number of centenarians. Francesco Mattana believes that Sardinia’s isolated location historically forced Sardinians to become resourceful, growing what they needed to survive and flourish. Their diet of mainly grains, legumes, vegetables, olive oil, and freshly caught fish is the sort of nutritious diet physicians have been trying to get Americans to adopt for decades.

Seasonal food grown as close to home as possible is an important element of Sardinian cuisine, as is preserving ingredients to enjoy year-round. This ethos resonates with me as an avid gardener who preserves a good deal of the food I grow. According to Mattana, Sardinians have a culture of patience, enjoy meals slowly with family and friends, and have a habit of taking a walk after lunch or dinner.

Honey is used instead of refined sugar, and the durum wheat they grow to make bread and pasta is high in complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, iron, and magnesium. It is no wonder Sardinia has an aging population of people who still lead very active lives.

Mattana stresses the use of locally sourced ingredients and encourages readers to use what is in season. I made four recipes from the book, and there are many more I plan to try.

Photo by Nancy J. Rodwan: Live to 100 Minestrone

1. Live to 100 Minestrone (page 87)

“For many years, this comforting and delicious dish was the main meal in Sardinian households,” Mattana says. This hearty soup is a prime example of his encouragement to use what is readily available. I used kale instead of savoy cabbage because the greens were fresh and inviting. I also added ditali pasta. The soup is rich in flavor, very satisfying, easy to prepare, and freezes well.

Photo by Nancy J. Rodwan: Ladeddos del Contadino (Famer’s Gnocchi)

2. Ladeddos del Contadino (Farmer’s Gnocchi, pages 77 and 139)

The gnocchi take a little over an hour to prepare and can be made up to two days in advance. You need a large work surface to roll them out before cutting them into rhombus shapes. The bean and pancetta sauce is quick, simple, and packed with flavor.

The next time I make it, I plan to use more sage and skip adding water to the sauce. The gnocchi recipe makes much more than the Farmer’s Gnocchi dish calls for. I added homemade pesto to the extra gnocchi and loved it.

Photo by Nancy J. Rodwan: Insalata di Arance e Finochhi (Orange and Fennel Salad)

3. Insalata di Arance e Finochhi (Orange and Fennel Salad, page 193)

I was surprised that the orange was the dominant flavor of this salad. Fennel can be a bit overpowering at times, but there is a wonderful balance between it, the oranges, and radishes. I included walnuts instead of almonds, and it worked perfectly in this very crisp and delightful salad. Mattana recommends pairing it with seafood.

4. Uova al Sugo di Sandrino (Sandrino’s Eggs and Tomatoes, page 153)

This dish is going to be a regular part of our meal rotation, especially when our garden is producing ripe tomatoes, basil, and green onions. I prepared the sauce the night before, and poaching the eggs in the reheated sauce took no time at all.

Mattana recommends serving this rich and comforting dish simply with garlic bread for dipping. We added a plate of cured meats, mozzarella cheese, olives, grapes, and some more fresh basil, and it was absolutely marvelous. This recipe made a little more than my husband and I could finish. We reheated the leftovers for a gratifying breakfast the next morning.

Eat Like a Sardinian is packed with enticing recipes. Mattana’s instructions are clear, and his aim is to help you feel confident in the kitchen while encouraging you to be creative and make the recipes your own. He provides options whenever possible for making a dish vegetarian and for swapping ingredients to use what is fresh, seasonal, and local to your area.

When fresh figs are back in season, I am most definitely making Bruschetta di Fichi, Ricotta, Prosciutto e Miele (Bruschetta with Figs, Ricotta, Prosciutto and Honey, page 25).

Here’s to your good health and longevity.

Find Eat Like a Sardinian: Live to 100 at Book Beat. Take 15% off during November.

Nancy J. Rodwan is an artist, writer, and owner of Rodwan Permissions, with over 16 years of experience in intellectual property rights clearance, specializing in print, electronic, music, and film rights. She works parttime at Book Beat, writes for the Book Beat Journal and was a featured artist in this issue of the Detroit art journal Essay’d.