Agriturismo in Sardinia

Sick of the hustle and bustle, the Marios and Luigis and the Dolce and Gabbanas of the crazy-tourist driven cities of Italy? If you want to experience romantic rural Italy and see the true Bella vita Italiana, Agriturismo is for you!

Basically, an Agriturismo is a working farm that rents rooms and serves food that it produces. The Agriturismo movement began out of necessity when small farmers started to abandon their farms for the cities in the 1950s. To keep the traditions alive, the government started codifying the Agriturismo movement and many abandoned buildings were restored, allowing farmers to augment their income from the farm, and enable travellers to experience the beauty of rural life in Italy. To qualify for the tax advantages provided by an Ariturismo status, a farm must recycle most of what it raises or grows.

When I worked as an Au Pair for a Bolognese family over the summer we holidayed in Sardegna where I had the best meal of my entire life at Agriturismo Sa Cresjia Ezza. The rustic, parched and hilly surroundings that characterize the inland region of Sardegna were a real contrast to where we stayed on Sardinia’s famous Emerald Coast. It sounds strange to say it, but was kind of nice to have a break from all the flashy yachts, perfect beaches and the glamorous fashionistas.

I felt so lucky to experience Sardegna’s peasant-inspired meal under a starlit sky. Although, the amazing meal made me, a city chick, question whether my future career lay in farming or in the production of the world’s best Sardinian ricotta! (I never knew ricotta could be prepared in so many ways.) Here’s what I ate:

Antipasti/Contorno
Farm fresh ricotta drizzled with honey, melanzane (grilled eggplant), pepperoni (grilled capsicum), fried zucchini flowers, prosciutto, salame, provolva cheeses

Primi Piatti
Zuppa Gallurese (oozy combination of bread, cheese and more cheese snugly resting in a bath of warm, rich broth)

Tripe

Gnocchetti Sardi (mini pasta in tomato and olive oil) and ricotta and lemon Ravioli

Secondi Piatti
Porcheddu e Patate al forno (suckling pig with roast potatoes)

Dolce
Ricotta encased by honey and pastry – delicious!

Mirto (myrtle leaf liquor)

I would have died happy after this meal! Agriturismo is a must-see for all foodies.