Sardinian Culurgiones or Ogliastra culurgiones are traditional Sardinian ravioli filled with potatoes, Pecorino cheese, and mint.

They are famous for their plump shape, with the so-called “spike” closure, or as they say in Sardinian “sa spighitta”, which makes them unique and inimitable.

Culurgiones are potato ravioli typical of the Ogliastra area, so much so that they are also called “Ogliastra culurgiones,” but now, they are widespread throughout the island, with the same filling, but often dressed differently.

Even before tasting them, we are struck by their elegant appearance: the dough, with its filling, is skillfully embroidered with the characteristic “spighitta” closure, a true distinctive feature of this excellence. The final shape is a drop, with a slightly curved, half-moon profile, and the unmistakable embroidery running the entire length.

I was very impressed by these Sardinian culurgiones and therefore I was eager to learn and challenge myself. They may not be beautiful, but it’s my first time, and I consider myself a beginner. Next time will always be better.

These are semolina, flour, and water ravioli filled with potatoes, fresh or aged Pecorino cheese. The filling can be enriched with mint leaves and flavored with oil.

Sardinian ravioli have a characteristic half-moon shape, closed by pinching the dough with fingers to have a braid-like pattern that makes the end of the ravioli look like a spike.

Made with ingredients always available in the pantry, this pasta has humble origins.

As with all traditional preparations, there are numerous variations of the filling for Sardinian ravioli: the recipes are jealously guarded by each family.

The most commonly used sauce to accompany culurgiones is a simple tomato sauce enriched with fresh Pecorino cheese.

Difficulty: Difficult
Cost: Medium
Rest time: 30 Minutes
Preparation time: 40 Minutes
Portions: 6/8
Cooking methods: Stove, Boiling
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All Seasons

Ingredients for Sardinian Culurgiones

14 oz semolina remilled wheat flour
1 cup water (room temperature, add if needed)
3.5 oz all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
2.2 lbs potatoes
3.5 oz Sardinian Pecorino (aged)
8 leaves mint
4.25 oz Pecorino (fresh Sardinian)
to taste extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic

Tools

Pot
Potato Masher
Pastry Board
Pasta Machine
Bowl
Kitchen Scale
Round Cutter

Steps for Sardinian Culurgiones

First thing. Infuse the garlic clove in the oil overnight or heat it in a pan without frying. It will serve to give aroma to the oil for the filling.
Boil the potatoes with the skin in salted boiling water.
Once peeled, mash the potatoes, adding the Evo oil, Pecorino (fresh and aged), mint, and mix well.
Combine the garlic-flavored oil.
In this case, as you have seen, I did not add salt because the Pecorino already gave the right flavor.
For the dough, mix the flour with a pinch of salt, water, and a couple of tablespoons of Evo oil.
Knead for about 15/20 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic and homogeneous.
If the dough turns out to be too soft, add some semolina; if too hard, a bit of water. Form a ball and let it rest covered with plastic wrap for 30 minutes.
After the resting time, take a piece of dough and slightly flatten it with your hands using a bit of flour.
Pass it through the pasta machine starting from the widest thickness.
Roll out the dough, making several passes to make it thin about 1/8 inch.
With a 2.75-inch circular cutter (an alternative is a glass), form many circles; place a ball of filling in the center (as big as a large walnut); hold it gently between your left index and thumb, and start sealing from right to left the small edges of the dough.
Continue.
Proceed until you finish the filling (re-knead the dough scraps before they dry).
Once ready, cook them in salted boiling water, and dress with a simple fresh tomato sauce!
If desired, serve with some grated Pecorino cheese.
Enjoy your meal!!

Curiosities and Tips

Ensure the dough is rolled out thinly enough. Otherwise, the closure part would be too chewy.
Be generous with the filling. Culurgiones are definitely rich.
When you have placed the pasta disk on your hand with the filling, move the lower edge towards the filling and press.
Now grab two small edges of dough on the sides, pinch them and close them gently pressing into the filling.
Remove any excess filling and then extend the tips.

Here’s the link to preserve fresh pasta: how to blanch fresh pasta.

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Conservation

Once ready, before boiling, you can keep your culurgiones in the refrigerator well-covered for a couple of days.

Or you can freeze them: place them on trays, and once frozen, collect them in freezer bags. You can boil them directly from frozen, extending the cooking time by a few minutes.