The Seadas traditional Sardinian dessert is a traditional recipe with ancient rural origins. Two layers of dough, encasing a soft and irresistible filling of fresh sheep cheese, flavored with lemon zest. This dessert is fried and then drizzled with strawberry tree or chestnut honey, which have a slightly bitter taste and rich intense aromas that make seadas unique and fragrant. An exceptional combination of sweet and savory. Seadas are a Sardinian specialty and take a different name each time with the local dialect. Once this recipe was seen as a main dish, prepared for Christmas and Easter holidays, as shepherds used to make fresh cheese at that time.
This dessert, like sa pippia cun s’ou brings back memories of my grandmother and when I was a child, I always spent my holidays with her in Sardinia. Even today, I have memories and scents of a happy childhood imprinted in my mind. With a traditional recipe, beyond its goodness, I think one is mostly tied to the intensity of the memory it leaves inside. Now let’s see how to make the seadas traditionally, but I will also leave the alternative with other ingredients for equally good results. 😉
See other recipes from the Sardinian tradition
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Seadas traditional Sardinian dessert
- 4 cups durum wheat flour (semolina)
- 3 oz lard
- as needed water (lukewarm)
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- as needed Sunflower oil (For cooking)
- 4 cups durum wheat flour (semolina or all-purpose flour)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2/3 cup water (lukewarm)
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 tablespoon Sunflower oil
- 4 oz eggs (about 2 medium)
- as needed sunflower oil (For cooking)
- 1.1 lbs pecorino sardo (fresh Sardinian pecorino cheese or alternative unaged cheese)
- 1 lemon zest (1 organic lemon, grated zest)
- 1 pinch Salt
- as needed strawberry tree honey (or chestnut, alternatively wildflower honey)
Tools
- Blender / Mixer
- Fluted wheel
- Frying pan
- Stand mixer
- Dough roller
- Pastry cutter
I made the seadas without lard, but for those who want to make the traditional ones, the procedure is identical.
For about 15 seadas
In a large bowl, or if you prefer on a work surface, create a well with the sifted flour and the pinch of salt. Add lukewarm water, 1 egg, and the tablespoon of oil.
Start kneading with your hands, or you can use a stand mixer. Add the butter in small pieces and continue kneading, making sure it blends well.
If you notice that the dough binds poorly, take the other egg, slightly beat it in a bowl, and add it gradually. Adjust as needed for the dough. The dough is ready when it becomes compact and homogeneous; cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling:
Place the fresh pecorino cheese in pieces in the mixer and process it. Once grated, add the grated zest of an organic lemon, the pinch of salt, and mix the compound well.
Take the dough and start rolling it out, either by hand or with a dough roller. Create a sheet about 1/8 inch thick, then with a medium pastry cutter (preferably with wavy edges or a fluted wheel), cut out discs and place the cheese filling in the center. Cover with a second dough disc and seal well. Once all the seadas are prepared, you can proceed with cooking.
In a pan, heat the sunflower oil and when it reaches the right temperature, fry them for a couple of minutes. They should be golden brown, let them drain excess oil on absorbent paper.
When they are still hot, transfer them to a serving plate and garnish with plenty of honey. This dessert must be served hot to enjoy the melted cheese and prevent the honey from solidifying.
Grandma’s Seadas
Every time I prepare this dessert, I garnish it just like my grandma did, and now I want to share this tip with you. This way, they are completely covered with honey, which does not solidify quickly, and can be enjoyed in all their goodness.
Let’s proceed:
Take a shallow pan, add a couple of tablespoons of honey (depending on how many seadas you need to garnish), add a bit of sugar, and a tablespoon of water. Bring it to a slight boil and place the seadas, turn them from one side to the other for a couple of seconds so they are completely covered with honey on both sides. Now they are ready to be served, but first pour the remaining glaze over them. I assure you they are truly delightful!
Enjoy and let me know 😉
Storage of Seadas traditional Sardinian dessert
Seadas can be frozen, then thawed as desired. Just freeze them separately.
If you don’t like the strong taste of honey, like chestnut or strawberry tree, they can be enjoyed with classic wildflower honey.
You might be interested in: SA PIPPIA CUN S’OU AND ORIGLIETTE TRADITIONAL SARDINIAN DESSERT
