Burrida Alla Cagliaritana is one of the most common appetizers found in fish and seafood restaurants in the area of Cagliari and its surroundings, up to the small town of Pula and even the Sulcis area.
This is one of the best dishes of the local tradition, prepared following the “Scabecciu” technique, which was introduced in Sardinia by its Spanish conquerors.
The hero ingredient of the dish is “Gattuccio” – dogfish – which belongs to the shark family and is characterized by its firm flesh. This seafood appetizer has bold flavors and a nice bit of texture, too.
Making it from scratch takes just a little over 30 minutes, and it is simply worth all the time.
Recipe Quick Look
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy.
- ⏱ Prep Time: 10 minutes.
- 🔥 Cook Time: 25 minutes.
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Dogfish, garlic, vinegar, oil, bay leaf, lemon, white wine, parsley, walnut.
- 🍪 Servings: 4 servings.
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: Savory and tangy.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It’s soft, juicy, succulent, and perfect if you like seafood appetizers.
- It can be made ahead of time- in fact, it tastes even better that way!
Recipe Ingredients
- Dogfish: Dogfish is the classic choice for this recipe. You’ll need small-sized ones, with their liver.
- Vinegar: I used a mix of white and apple vinegar here.
- Lemon: For that citrusy zing.
- Garlic: For that savory, umami depth.
- White wine: A must, for that authentic flavor.
- Walnuts: For a bit of texture. You’ll need to chop these coarsely.
- Bay leaf: To get that earthy aroma.
- Parsley: For freshness.
- Olive oil: For cooking. I like to use extra virgin olive oil.
Check recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- Walnuts are the best kind of nuts to prepare Burrida, but if you want, you can also add pine nuts.
- If you can’t find dogfish, which is typically used for this recipe, you can choose skate, smooth hound shark, or other firm-fleshed fish.
How to Make Burrida Cagliaritana
Step 1: Start by cleaning the dogfish and cutting it into small pieces. In a pot, add water, white vinegar, half of the bay leaves, and parsley stems. Add the dogfish, cover with a lid, and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Roughly chop the walnuts and set them aside. Heat oil in a pan and fry garlic and parsley. Now add the livers and squash them in with a spoon. Then, add the walnuts and remaining bay leaves. Add apple vinegar and white wine and cook for about 15 minutes.
Step 3: Transfer the dogfish to a bowl or a pan. Cover it with the prepared sauce.
Step 4: Once it has cooled down, cover and let it rest for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- To make things quicker and hassle-free, you can ask for your dogfish to be cleaned and cut by your fishmonger. Just don’t forget to ask for the livers too- they’re the essence of the sauce.
- Don’t skip the resting time. Store the Burrida for at least 24 hours before you serve it. Doing this allows the flavors to deepen.
How to Serve Burrida Cagliaritana
Burrida Cagliaritana tastes best when served as an appetizer at room temperature. Yes, you don’t need to warm it up.
If you love seafood, it’s the perfect appetizer to have before my other Sardinian seafood recipes like spaghetti Vongole e Bottarga, Spigola Alla Vernaccia, and my favorite Fregola con Arselle. The best wine to pair it with would be a Sardinian white wine, such as Vermentino or Nuragus.
Recipe FAQs
You can store your Burrida in the fridge for up to a week. In fact, the dish is much tastier and better if you leave it to rest for a couple of days.
You will find burrida alla cagliaritana in the most traditional restaurants. My recommendation is Stella Marina di Montecristo, one of the most budget-friendly restaurants in Cagliari. Sa Cardiga e Su Pisci, one of the most popular restaurants just outside of Cagliari, also serves it.
Many would say “malloreddus” (also known as gnocchetti sardi in Italian) is the national dish of Sardinia. Others would mention porceddu (that’s the name in the Sardinian language: it’s suckling pig) or culurgiones. To be fair, Sardinian cuisine has many famous dishes, and each area of the island has its own specialties.
I can’t think of a typical side dish that you’d find across the island, but a favorite ingredient in the winter would be artichokes. Sardinian artichokes are smaller and pricklier (as well as softer) compared to the others you’d find in Italy. We love having it raw, with olive oil and lemon (like a carpaccio).
Popular dishes you should try in Sardinia include culurgiones, seadas, porceddu, pane frattau, and the many Sardinian breads, such as pane carasau or pane guttiau. In terms of drinks, other than Sardinian wine and now the ever more popular Sardinian craft beer, you should try mirto (a liquor made with myrtle berries).
More Sardinian Recipes to Try
You can also try the following recipes:
- Sa Panada
- Spaghetti Vongole e Bottarga
- Agnello Coi Carciofi
- Spigola Alla Vernaccia
- Pani Frattau
- Pardule – Sardinian Saffron And Ricotta Tarts
- Seadas – Sardinian Cheese And Honey Pastries
- Su Mazzamurru – Sardinian Bread And Tomato Lasagne
- Su Mustazzeddu
- Zeppole – Sardinian Carnival Sweets
Planning a trip to Sardinia? Pair your foodie adventures with insider travel tips, must-visit restaurants, and Sardinia local secrets that will make your journey unforgettable. Browse our Sardinia guides today, and get in touch with Claudia for more tips.
Burrida Alla Cagliaritana
Ingredients
- 1.1 pound 500 grams of dogfish (about 4 or 5 small dogfish), complete with its liver
- 1/2 cup 100 ml of white vinegar
- 1/2 cup 100 ml of apple vinegar
- 1/2 cup 100 ml of white wine
- 1/4 cup 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- The juice of one lemon
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 10 walnuts in small pieces
- 6 or 7 bay leaves
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Start by cleaning the dogfish and cutting it into small pieces. In a pot, add water, white vinegar, half of the bay leaves and parsley stems.
- Add the dogfish, cover with a lid and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Roughly chop the walnuts and set them aside. Heat oil in a pan and fry garlic and parsley.
- Now add the livers and squash them in with a spoon. Then, add the walnuts and remaining bay leaves.
- Add apple vinegar and white wine and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the dogfish to a bowl or a pan. Cover it with the prepared sauce.
- Once it has cooled down, cover and let it rest for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
Video
Notes
- You can also ask for the fish to be cleaned and cut up for you at the fishmonger’s. Just don’t forget the liver too!
- Let the dish rest in the fridge for up to 48 hours before serving. Serve at room temperature for a delicious appetizer.
Nutrition
Pin It For Later!
Claudia Tavani
Claudia Tavani was born and raised in Sardinia, and after moving between the United States and the United Kingdom, she's now back living in her hometown, Cagliari. She's a travel blogger and certified travel designer who loves planning trips and publishing guides, travel tips, and packing lists so that you don't have to. Owner of Strictly Sardinia, cat mom to Minnie. Loves pizza, hiking, archeology, cities, beaches, swimming, and running. Hates peppers.