main dishes sardinian

Su Succu di Busachi

Filindeu pasta baked in layers with fresh and aged pecorino in a saffron meat broth. An Epiphany dish from Busachi, Sardinia.

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Prep 30 min
Cook 35 min
Total 1h 5m
Servings 4
Difficulty Advanced

Ingredients

Broth

Pasta

Cheese

Broth aromatics

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Instructions

  1. Make the broth the night before. Put 1.5 liters of water in a pot with the meat, the halved onion, the celery heart, the parsley stems, the carrot, and the sun-dried tomato. Bring to a bare simmer and cook for two to three hours. Skim any foam that rises. Add the saffron threads at the end, stir, and let the broth rest covered until morning.

  2. The next day, strain the broth and discard the aromatics and meat. You need one clean liter. Reheat it in a wide, low pan over high heat.

  3. When the broth is boiling, drop in a third of the fresh pecorino cubes and a handful of the grated aged pecorino. Stir briefly, then turn off the heat. Add the filindeu or angel hair. The pasta will cook in the residual heat in under two minutes.

  4. Leave the pan covered off the heat. The pasta absorbs the broth and the cheese melts into it. Wait until almost all the liquid is gone and the mixture is thick but still moist. This is su succu.

  5. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Oil a baking dish. Spread a layer of the pasta mixture on the bottom. Scatter fresh pecorino cubes and grated aged pecorino over it. Add a second layer of pasta, then more cheese. Finish with the remaining pasta and the last of the cheese on top.

  6. Bake for fifteen minutes until the top is golden and the cheese has set. Let it rest under foil for a few minutes before cutting into portions.

Storage & Meal Prep

Reheats well the next day. Keep covered in the fridge and warm through in a moderate oven.

Interactive Nutrition Map

4 Servings

Customize Ingredients

Cheese
Pecorino Fresco (Fresh Sheep Cheese)
300 g
Pecorino Romano
100 g
Grains & Bread
Dried Pasta (Small)
300 g
Herbs & Spices
Saffron
0.1 g
Liquids
Beef Broth
240 g

Per Serving

602kcalCalories
32gProtein
59gCarbs
25gFat
2gFiber
Sodium
845mg37% DV
Potassium
284mg6% DV
Calcium
652mg50% DV
Iron
1.7mg9% DV
Magnesium
71mg17% DV
Vitamin C*
0mg0% DV
Vitamin A
195µg22% DV
Vitamin K
1.4µg1% DV
Folate
23µg6% DV
Beef Broth
Dried Pasta (Small)
Pecorino Fresco (Fresh Sheep Cheese)
Pecorino Romano
Saffron
* Nutrition is an estimate; actual values vary by ingredient brands and cooking methods. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

The Story Behind This Dish

In central-western Sardinia, Su Succu di Busachi belongs on the Sardinian home table. I build it around meat broth, filindeu or capelli d’angelo, and acidulous pecorino.

I make the broth the night before. I put 1.5 liters of water in a pot with the meat, the halved onion, the celery heart, the parsley stems, the carrot, and the sun-dried tomato. I bring to a bare simmer and cook for two to three hours. I skim any foam that rises. I add the saffron threads at the end, stir, and let the broth rest covered until morning. The next day, strain the broth and discard the aromatics and meat. I need one clean liter. I reheat it in a wide, low pan over high heat.

I preheat the oven to 180\u00b0C. I oil a baking dish. I spread a layer of the pasta mixture on the bottom. I scatter fresh pecorino cubes and grated aged pecorino over it. I add a second layer of pasta, then more cheese. I finish with the remaining pasta and the last of the cheese on top. I bake for fifteen minutes until the top is golden and the cheese has set. I let it rest under foil for a few minutes before cutting into portions. I serve it as soon as the texture is right.

Part of: The Sardinian Kitchen

Related: Sardinian Table: Real Meals | Sardinian Ingredients Guide