There are many holidays in Sardinia, and one of the most important is the carnival season. The carnival begins on January 17th with Saint Anthony’s day and goes on until Ash Wednesday, just a few days before Easter. Singing, dancing, and decorating the towns give the island an unbeatable festive spirit to enjoy with all your senses, primarily through the food.
Food is delicious in Sardinia year-round, but some dishes, especially sweet treats, are only made for the carnival season. These are seasonal treats you don’t want to miss, so if you have the chance of visiting the Mediterranean Island during the spring holidays, be prepared for some delicious sweets.
One of the most famous carnival sweets is the Zeppole, deep-fried donut-like spirals flavored with saffron and rolled in sugar for a decadently doughy treat. The Fati Fritti are similar to the Zeppole, and these are actually shaped like donuts. The name means ‘fried friars’ and might have Spanish origins going back for centuries.
The Chiacchiere are popular carnival sweets and consist of flat dough sheets made of semolina flour, lard, sugar and a splash of brandy. These are light and airy, and they have the right amount of sweetness.
If you like pancakes, you’ll love Gatzas; these puffy semolina disks are quite bready and versatile — you can enjoy them with sugar, jam or honey toppings or with a savory treat like cured meat.
You know you have to try the famous Culurgionis de mendula. Crispy deep-fried puff pastry one-biters filled with a creamy, sweet and nutty almond paste and dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with honey.
And for a sweet as pretty as it is tasty, try the Acciuleddi. You’ll recognize these immediately since they resemble hair braids. The braided sweet dough is quite flaky, and with just the right amount of sugar, these are lovely pastries that will surely win your heart.
