Sa Panada (simply called Panada in Italian or English) is one of the tastiest and most comforting Sardinian dishes. It is essentially a baked pie wrapped in a bread-like dough that is stuffed with a variety of fillings, typically eels, and is incredibly hearty and wholesome.
This savory pie is usually served during special occasions or festivals today, and over the years, people have now adapted it to their preference, which is why you’ll also find vegetarian versions of the dish.
The dough on the outside is typically prepared with durum wheat flour and lard (known as “Croxu” in the Sardinian language) – and gets filled with a variety of ingredients, typically meat (can be lamb or pork) and potatoes.
You can make this for a picnic or just when you want to try your hand at a traditional Sardinian recipe- along with some Su Mazzamurru.
Recipe Quick Look
- ⏱ Prep Time: 30 minutes.
- 🔥 Cook Time: 90 minutes.
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Flour, chicken, garlic, sundried tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, extra virgin olive oil.
- 🍪 Servings: 6 servings.
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: Hearty and filling.
- 👌 Difficulty: Medium.
What You’ll Love About this Recipe
- The flavors are incredible! While this dish does take a bit of time and effort, the result is well worth every single minute.
- You can experiment with the fillings. I used a simple chicken and potato filling here, but you can also try using meats like lamb (what’s traditionally used in southern Sardinia), pork, and eel (another traditional filling) if you want to.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breast here. Whole, deboned chicken is usually tastier.
- Potatoes: Peeled and cut into halves, then thinly sliced.
- Flour: Just some regular all-purpose flour, for the pie crust.
- Sundried tomatoes: Thinly sliced.
- Garlic: Fresh, for that savory flavor and aroma.
- Parsley: For that fresh pop of color.
- Olive oil: Ideally, extra virgin olive oil.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- If you don’t want to use chicken, pork can be a good substitute, but keep in mind the meat tends to cook more slowly and gets drier compared to chicken, so you may need to add more olive oil.
- For extra protein, you can also add some sweet peas into the mix.
- To make vegetarian Panada, use sliced eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers for the filling. You can try other veggies too if you want to.
- If you are out of olive oil, go ahead and use vegetable oil for the filling of your panada – but the flavor won’t be nearly as wholesome. Coconut oil is definitely a no-no!
- Make sure you use lard or olive oil for the dough. You may want to try using vegetable or sunflower oil instead if you are out of olive oil. Definitely don’t use butter or margarine!
How to Make Sa Panada
Step 1: Start by getting all the ingredients ready. Dissolve salt in some warm water and gradually add it to the flour along with the olive oil and knead to a smooth, lump-free dough.
Step 2: Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes and keep them ready to layer. Also, chop the chicken into small chunks and finely chop the garlic and parsley.
Step 3: Roll the dough into a sheet around 3 mm thick. Arrange in a greased baking tin 26 cm in diameter. Combine the ingredients for the filling with lots of olive oil and transfer to the dough-lined tin.
Step 4: Cover with another layer of the dough, sealing the edges and removing the excess. Bake in an oven preheated at 200°C (390°F) for about 90 minutes, or more.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Check the Panada at the 80-90 minute mark- it shouldn’t burn.
- Don’t use beef for the filling. Beef has a much stronger flavor compared to chicken. Keep in mind that traditional Panada is made with either lamb or eel, and chicken is already a substitution for a lighter / healthier dish.
- There’s no need to add salt here. Sardinian sun-dried tomatoes are kept in salt, not oil, so they are salty enough to flavor the chicken and the potatoes. If the only sun-dried tomatoes you can find are in olive oil, you may need to add some salt.
- Don’t poke the panada while it’s baking- you don’t want any of the juices to spill out!
How to Serve Sa Panada
Serve Sa Panada piping hot, as soon as it’s out of the oven. To serve the Panada, slice the top layer and serve its filling before chopping the crust.
Where To Eat Sa Panada In Cagliari
Sa Panada is a dish that’s usually made at home. However, there are a few restaurants in Cagliari where you can taste or enjoy this dish.
- LA MAISON DES DELICES, ASSEMINI: Probably the best place to have Panada in Sardinia, La Maison des Delices is a lovely bakery located in Assemini, an easy 10-minute car ride from Cagliari. You can eat your Panada there, or take it home with you. And while there, you may also want to take advantage of all the other delicious sweets such as pardulas.
- SA PANADA, CAGLIARI: Located in Cagliari’s La Marina historic district, this is a popular aperitif and dinner place among locals. You can pick one of the many set menus, each of each includes a selection of Sardinian specialties. The Panada you will get here is usually the small one. You can select between the vegetarian one and the meat one.
- TACCAS, CAGLIARI: Another nice place in the heart of Cagliari, Taccas is the perfect place to enjoy local products while sipping a glass of good Sardinian wine.
- I CHERCHI, CAGLIARI AND MONSERRATO: There are three different locations of this shop with adjoint restaurant where you can taste various traditional dishes, each of them prepared with locally sourced ingredients. The most central one is located in Via Sonnino, in Cagliari’s Villanova district.
Recipe FAQs
The concept of the dish is similar to that of Empanadas which are commonly found in South American countries such as Peru and Argentina. The version that is most similar to the Sardinian Panada is, however, the Panada Mallorquina, found in Mallorca and in the other Balearic Islands.
Traditional Panada calls for lard in its dough, but there is a vegetarian version that doesn’t contain lard and which is stuffed with just vegetables – typically artichokes, which in Sardinia are smaller and more tender compared to others found elsewhere along with eggplant, bell peppers, potatoes, parsley and garlic.
Sa Panada is typically a main course – and it’s actually very filling. In recent years though smaller versions have become more common, and you can find ‘Sa Panadedda’ served as an aperitif along other finger food.
Yes, you can. Cover it up and freeze. When you are ready to eat it, take it out of the freezer the night before you wish to eat it, and warm it up in the oven for about 30 minutes.
More Sardinian Recipes to Try
You can also try the following recipes:
- Fregola Con Arselle
- Burrida Alla Cagliaritana
- 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.
How To Make Sa Panada
Ingredients
For the dough
- 6 cups 750 grams of all purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups 350 to 450 milliliters of warm water
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- A pinch of salt
For the filling
- 1.7 pounds 750 grams of chicken breast
- 2 large 750 grams baking potatoes
- 1/4 clove of garlic
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes preferably not in oil.
- Parsley
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Start by getting all the ingredients ready. Dissolve salt in some warm water and gradually add it to the flour along with the olive oil and knead to a smooth, lump-free dough.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes and keep them ready to layer. Also, chop the chicken into small chunks and finely chop the garlic and parsley.
- Roll the dough into a sheet around 3 mm thick. Arrange in a greased pie tin 26 cm in diameter. Combine the ingredients for the filling with lots of olive oil and transfer to the dough-lined tin.
- Cover with another layer of the dough, sealing the edges and removing the excess. Bake in an oven preheated at 200° C for about 90 minutes, or more
Video
Notes
- Don’t poke the panada while it’s baking- you don’t want any of the juices to spill out!
- Experiment with different fillings! Veggies like eggplant and bell peppers are good choices. You can also add some mild cheese if you want.
- Serve Sa Panada piping hot, as soon as it’s out of the oven.
- To serve the Panada, slice the top layer and serve its filling before chopping the crust.
Nutrition
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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.