The bikers begin their Sardinian adventure in the small town of Cagliari, where everyone is in high spirits for the feast of St Efisio. The locals are dressed in traditional garb to parade through the town on decorated bullock carts. The bikers join in the fun by cooking a local speciality, almond and orange cakes. Leaving the festivities behind, they head westwards to meet the tuna fishermen of Carloforte. Here, tuna is known as the 'pig of the sea', and nose-to-tail eating is the norm. After seeing the locals' unique form of fishing, the bikers meet a chef who serves up platters of tuna treated the Carloforte way.
Situated at the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia has been invaded from all directions during its history. While the people of Carloforte are descended from the Ligurians of Northern Italy, the charming town of Alghero is positively Catalan in its culinary heritage. Here, they serve up octopus, lobster and dessert, all Catalan-style. Over the centuries, incomers have settled around the coast, but the mountainous interior was never truly conquered or colonised, and that’s the bikers’ next stop on their quest to find the ‘real’ Sardinia.
A mountain-top campsite proves the perfect place to meet the locals, and the bikers soon find themselves immersed in the warm embrace of a group of shepherds. They see how Sa Ventre is made – it’s a kind of sheep’s black pudding, a classic case of using everything that nature has to offer.
Further down the mountain is the town of Orgosolo, famous for two things. The most obvious attraction is the anti-establishment murals which blanket the walls. The other remarkable thing about this part of Sardinia is that it is one the few places in the world where people regularly reach 100 years of age. Si meets 101-year-old Michela, who explains that her minestrone could hold the secret to longevity. After spending time in this very special place, they feel they’ve found the heart of Sardinia.
Nevertheless, the coast and the wider Mediterranean beckon, so Si and Dave head back towards the sea and the small island of Tavolara. They have an appointment with a king! It may be a shaggy-dog story but the king claims that his family title has been recognized by Queen Victoria and is 100 per cent legitimate. Title or not, he serves up a cracking fish stew and provides a fitting end to the bikers' exploration of the wonders of Sardinia.
Featured recipes: frutti di mare with saffron fregola (seafood with fregola pasta and saffron; torta menjar blanc (lemon cream tart); lamb and fennel stew with fennel salad. Show less