Sardinian Pardulas
I started making pardulas one morning before Easter after I found fresh cottage cheese at the market. The recipe doesn't have complicated steps, but it requires a bit of patience when shaping. It's the kind of dessert you make when you're in the mood for a special snack, but with ordinary ingredients. Quick Info Total time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes Preparation time: 50 minutes (including dough resting time) Baking time: 40 minutes Number of servings: about 12-14 pieces Difficulty: medium Recipe type: traditional Sardinian dessert, usually prepared for Easter Ingredients Dough 250 g all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon lard (or butter) 150 ml warm, slightly salty water Filling 500 g cottage cheese (or sheep cheese, if you find it) 150 g sugar 70 g all-purpose flour 30 g semolina 2 egg yolks Zest of one lemon and one orange 1 packet baking powder 1 packet saffron Decoration Honey Vanilla sugar Colored sprinkles Preparation method 1. Place the flour in a large bowl. Add the tablespoon of lard (or butter) and start mixing by hand or with a spoon. 2. Gradually pour in the warm, slightly salty water, and knead until you get an elastic and smooth dough. If the dough is too soft, add a little more flour. If it's too hard, a few drops of water will help. 3. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. 4. In the meantime, place the cottage cheese in a bowl and mix well with the sugar using a fork. Don't overdo it - it shouldn't be a fine paste. 5. Incorporate the egg yolks, lemon and orange zest, and saffron. 6. In a separate bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, semolina, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry mixture to the bowl with the cheese, mixing gently after each addition. You will obtain a thick mixture suitable for filling. 7. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin sheet (about 2-3 mm). 8. Using a glass, cut out medium-sized dough discs (approx. 8 cm in diameter). 9. Lift the edges of each disc and form little baskets, gently pinching the edges in five or six points to create a sunray shape. 10. Place each basket on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Fill them with the cheese mixture, being careful not to overfill (the filling will rise a bit when baked). 11. Place the tray in the oven at 200°C for about 40 minutes. The pardulas should develop a slight golden crust but not dry out. 12. Let them cool in the tray. 13. Once cooled, brush each pardula with a little honey. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar and decorate with colored sprinkles. Why I make this recipe often It's the kind of dessert I prepare for the lightly sweet flavor of the cheese and the airy texture inside. They keep well for a day or two and can be packed. They are not too sweet or heavy. Tips and variations Tips If the dough seems too dry when kneading, add water with a spoon, not all at once. If it's too sticky, sprinkle flour on the work surface when rolling it out. When shaping, don't stress if they don't all come out perfectly symmetrical - they will look good anyway when baked. Substitutions Lard can be replaced with butter without significantly changing the texture. Cottage cheese is easier to find, but you can also use ricotta or sheep cheese if you want a more intense flavor. Saffron adds color, but if you don't have it, you can skip it - the aroma will be a bit different, but not essential. Variations Some use only lemon or only orange for flavoring. If you don't have colored sprinkles, you can leave them with just vanilla sugar and honey. Serving ideas They are served at room temperature, as a dessert or snack. They are suitable for holidays but also for morning coffee. Frequently Asked Questions Do I have to use saffron? Saffron adds color and a subtle flavor, but the recipe works well without it. Can pardulas be frozen? I do not recommend it. After thawing, they lose their specific texture. What type of cheese is best? If you want a flavor closer to the Sardinian tradition, look for ricotta or sheep cheese. With cottage cheese, they are milder in taste. Can I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar? I do not recommend it for the filling, as it may change the texture. It works for decoration. Can I use only egg yolks in the filling? Yes, the recipe only calls for egg yolks, not egg whites. Nutritional values Estimate for one serving (one pardula, approximately 70-80 g): Calories: 180-200 kcal Protein: 5-7 g Carbohydrates: 28-30 g Fats: 4-6 g Values may vary depending on the type of cheese and how much honey and sugar you use for decoration. Storage and reheating Store pardulas in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two days. They are not suitable for reheating in the oven or microwave; it’s better to let them reach room temperature before serving. If they dry out slightly, you can add a little more honey on top.
Preparation
DOUGH: We mix all 3 ingredients until we obtain an elastic and smooth dough, then we let it rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, we prepare the filling. In a bowl, we put the cheese with sugar and mix well with a fork, then add the 2 egg yolks, the grated citrus peel, and the packet of saffron. We mix the white flour, semolina, and baking powder and gradually add everything to our mixture. On a surface, we roll out the dough into a thin sheet, and with the help of a glass, we form discs which we turn into baskets or sun rays. We place the baskets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, fill them with the cheese mixture, and bake in the oven (200°C) for about 40 minutes. When they cool down, we brush them with honey, dust them with vanilla sugar, and colorful sprinkles.
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