Name: How To Make Pardulas - Sardinian Saffron And Ricotta Tarts
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 15
Cuisine: Sardinian
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds (700 grams) of ricotta; 2 and 1/3 tablespoons (30 grams) of sugar; 1/3 cup (50 grams) of all purpose flour; 1 egg; 1 grated lemon peel; 1 grated orange peel; 1 teaspoon of baking powder; 1 small bag of saffron; 1 pinch of salt; 1 and 3/4 cups (300 grams) of all purpose flour; 1.5 cups (200 grams) of semolina; 3 and 3/4 tablespoons (50 grams) of lard; 1 cup (200 milliliters) of water at room temperature

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Pardulas – also known as pardule and called “formaggelle” in Italian – are one of Sardinia’s favorite sweets. Much like seadas, these star-shaped tartlets change their name depending on the region of Sardinia where you get them. For example in Nuoro and its surroundings they are called “casadinas.” And again, much like seadas, they consist of a simple dough that if filled with a cheese mixture – in this case, with ricotta.

Traditionally an Easter sweet, pardulas are actually eaten year round. Some say they are best enjoyed warm but trust me, in the summer months they are delicious at room temperature and even straight out of the fridge.

Sardinia is a land of shepherds, so it goes without saying that the original recipe for pardule calls for sheep’s milk ricotta, which has a bit of a stronger flavor compared to regular cow’s milk ricotta (vaccine ricotta). I actually prefer them with regular cow’s milk ricotta, so my recipe will call for this ingredient instead – besides, it is much easier to find outside of Sardinia! Other ingredients are saffron, lemon and sometimes also orange peel, and sugar.

Curious to discover how they are made?

Table of Contents

How To Make Pardulas – Best Tips

You can use either semolina or flour

You can, if you want. In this case the dough will end up being a bit softer to the bite. If on the other hand you want a crispier dough, just use semolina flour.

Use ricotta at room temperature

It’s best not to. In fact, depending on how “watery” the ricotta you have is, you should let it drain with a light weight on top overnight to release the excess fluids.

Use egg yolk to make your pardulas look shiny

For a shinier look, brush the pardulas with egg yolk before you bake them. Alternatively, you can lightly glazed them with high-quality honey before serving. In this case, you won’t need to sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

Eat your pardulas when fresh

Pardule are best eaten within 3 or 4 days after they have been baked.

Store them in a cool place

It’s certainly better to keep your pardule in the fridge during the summer months, best if in a sealed container. In the winter, you can store them for a few days at room temperature (provided your house isn’t too hot!).

You can actually freeze pardulas

You can! Make sure to keep them in a sealed container, and to warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds before eating them.

Why do some pardulas look swollen?

This happens when you add a bit of baking powder to the ricotta cheese mixture – which is what I recommend doing so that they look a bit more fun. If you prefer, for a lighter tart, you don’t need to add the baking powder.

Yield: 15