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Vegetarian, Italy

Sardinian pane frattau

Pane frattau is a Sardinian dish that layers carasau flatbread soaked in broth with tomato sauce, pecorino, and a poached egg. It serves 4 in 30 minutes, at an easy difficulty level, for about €2.40 per person. The key is dipping the bread just long enough to soften it, never long enough to make it fall apart.

Tonight, Sardinia comes to your table, flatbread layers soaked in broth, tomato sauce, pecorino, and a poached egg on top.

Sardinian pane frattau
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.40
Calories per person
510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Under a thick basil tomato sauce, the carasau bread softens without ever turning mushy, and the melted pecorino brings a salty bite that wakes up the whole dish. The poached egg on top gets pierced at the table and runs between the layers like a second sauce. It's a simple meal, built like a gratin but without the oven.

It's the kind of weeknight dinner that makes good use of stale bread or thin pita leftovers, when you want something warm without spending hours on it. Kids usually love breaking the yolk themselves, and Mon Chou walks you through each step, from the broth to the poached egg.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Carasau bread (or 6 thin pita breads) 8 sheets
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 500 g
  • Vegetable broth 75 cl
  • White vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Eggs 4
  • Grated pecorino 80 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 1 cloves
  • Basil 6 leaves

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Sauté the garlic in the oil, add the tomatoes, salt, and basil, then let it reduce into a thick sauce. 15 min

    A thick sauce won't soak the bread through, let it reduce well.

  2. Bring the broth to a simmer in a wide pot and keep it hot.

    A well flavored broth makes the dish, use homemade broth or a good bouillon cube diluted gently.

  3. Dip a flatbread in the broth for 10 seconds, place it on the plate, top with tomato sauce, sprinkle with pecorino, then repeat to build two layers per plate.

    If you don't have carasau bread, pita breads dried in the oven for 5 minutes work great.

  4. Poach the eggs one at a time in the simmering, vinegared water. 3 min

    Swirl the water with a spoon before sliding in the egg, the white wraps around it nicely.

  5. Place a poached egg on each plate, add pecorino and pepper, and serve right away.

    Pierce the yolk at the table, it mingles with the bread and tomato like a sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Let each flatbread drip over the pot for a few seconds after dipping, otherwise the plate ends up swimming in broth.
  • Make the tomato sauce a little ahead of time, it tastes better once it has rested slightly and spreads more easily.
  • Use a shallow bowl instead of a flat plate, the bread layers hold their shape better and the juices stay contained.

The variations

  • Swap the pecorino for parmesan if you can't find it, the flavor will be slightly less salty but just as melty.
  • For a quicker version, skip the poaching and top each plate with a fried egg instead, the result is still close.
  • For kids, cut back on the pepper and serve the layers unstacked, with bread, sauce, and egg presented separately to assemble themselves.

What to serve it with

  • A lemony green salad
  • A glass of Sardinian white wine
  • Grilled vegetables on the side

Storage

The tomato sauce keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and freezes well. Assemble the dish only right before serving, since soaked bread and poached egg don't keep or reheat well once layered.

Questions about this dish

Can I use a different bread instead of carasau?

Yes, thin pita breads dried for 5 minutes in the oven work very well as a substitute. What matters is having a thin, dry bread that softens quickly in hot broth.

How do I poach an egg without it falling apart?

Add white vinegar to the simmering water and swirl it with a spoon before sliding in the egg. The white then wraps naturally around the yolk instead of spreading into wisps.

Can I make the tomato sauce ahead of time?

Yes, it's even recommended, the sauce tastes better after resting a few hours or overnight. Reheat it gently before assembling the plates.

Is this dish kid friendly?

Yes, it's a mild dish that kids often enjoy, especially when they get to break the yolk themselves. You can cut back on the pepper and serve the parts separately if you prefer.

How long does it take to make a Sardinian pane frattau?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Sardinian pane frattau?

About 510 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Sardinian pane frattau cost?

About €2.40 per serving, or €9.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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