SPOTLIGHT: At the First American Cocktail Parties, They Drank This

B.

Su filindeu meaning “the threads of God” in local dialect, is a rare pasta dish from the island of Sardinia. The pasta is made by pulling and folding semolina dough into thin threads, followed by placing the noodles into sheet-like layers on a tray to dry. The dried sheets of noodles are broken into pieces and served in a mutton broth with pecorino cheese. Because of its time-consuming and challenging nature, su filindeu wasn’t readily available to the public. In fact, originally only three women— matriarchs of the Abraini family— knew how to make it. The recipe has been passed down to subsequent generations for over 300 years. Additionally, su filindeu is on the Ark of Taste list— an international directory of endangered heritage foods. The list is designed to preserve at-risk foods that are a part of a distinct region, sustainably produced, and unique in taste. Have you ever had a bowl of su filindeu? Neither have I.