An hour not just to cook but to celebrate a tradition, a character, an identity. The ten aspiring chefs of Masterchef, on Sky and Now, will face a tough challenge at the Bastione di Saint Remy in Cagliari for a decisive outdoor test involving pecorino cheese and bottarga. Two menus are planned for the fifteen demanding diners, chefs and restaurateurs from across Sardinia.
Before we begin, a quiz about the island: the seven hills of Cagliari, the mouflon, Caprera, and Garibaldi. And then the competition begins: for the red team, a carasau bread ravioli with ricotta and tomato sauce. For the blue team, a cannolo, also made with transhumance bread, with myrtle sausage crumble, Fiore Sardo cheese, and pompia. The main courses are even more challenging: a first course of fregola pasta with curried lamb, shrimp, and seafood. Finally, a second course of tuna in a pecorino crust.
The challenge for everyone was to respect the ingredients, measuring them carefully without fear of daring and cross-pollinating. "The island, from a gastronomic standpoint, is experiencing a new Renaissance," predicted the three judges, Bruno Barbieri, Antonino Cannavacciuolo, and Giorgio Locatelli.
The excellent tutor was Carloforte native Luigi Pomata, the king of tuna, who dispensed tips and tricks while Barbieri ventured to discover the secrets of the ancient Su Filindeu pasta with Marina Ravarotto, crossing, pulling, and stretching the "threads of God" and then enjoying them in the typical Nuoro soup in broth. To announce the winners, directly from the feast of Sant'Efisio, the ritual of "sa ramadura" was performed. And the petals were blue.
