Zuppa Gallurese (Sardinian Bread and Cheese Bake)
Why this recipe works
- Traditional layering method: Hot stock is ladled over the bread in layers, helping it absorb flavour evenly without turning loose or watery.
- Crisp top, soft centre: Butter and pecorino brown on the surface while the soaked bread underneath stays rich and spoonable.
- Deep savoury flavour: Simmering the stock with vegetables and bay before baking gives the bread a more rounded, aromatic base.
Get the most out of this recipe
Authenticity notes
- Gallurese style: This dish is closely associated with Gallura in northern Sardinia, where it is often built from sturdy bread, sheep’s cheese and meat stock.
- Stock-soaked bread: The defining technique is soaking the bread with hot stock before baking, creating a texture closer to a savoury bread pudding than a dry gratin.
- Sharp sheep’s cheese: Pecorino brings the salty, savoury edge expected in the dish; another aged sheep’s milk cheese can give a similar character.
Texture tips
- Soak, don’t flood: Add enough hot stock for the bread to absorb it thoroughly, but stop before the layers float in liquid.
- For a crisper top: Make sure the final layer finishes with cheese and small pieces of butter so the surface browns well in the oven.
- Cleaner slices: Let the bake rest briefly after it comes out of the oven; it will hold together better while staying moist inside.
Ingredient notes
- Use sturdy bread: Day-old country bread works best because it absorbs stock without collapsing; very soft sandwich bread will become too fragile.
- Check the seasoning: Pecorino and stock can both be salty, so season the broth carefully and taste before adding more salt.
- Avoid mild cheese: A very mild melting cheese will change the character of the dish; choose something aged, savoury and assertive.
Make-ahead tips
- Prepare components ahead: The vegetables can be chopped, the cheese grated and the bread sliced in advance to make assembly quicker.
- Reheat gently: Reheat covered or loosely protected in a 180°C (355°F) oven until piping hot, adding a little hot stock if the centre looks dry.
- Best served hot: The contrast between the crisp top and soft centre is strongest soon after baking, once the short resting time has passed.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Thinly slice the onion, and finely dice the celery and carrot. Lightly butter a baking dish with a little of the unsalted butter.
- Put the beef stock in a saucepan with the onion, celery, carrot and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes so the stock takes on the vegetables’ sweetness. Season with the fine sea salt and black pepper, then keep it hot on a low heat.
- Slice the Tuscan country bread into pieces about 1.5 cm thick. Grate the Pecorino Romano cheese. Cut the remaining unsalted butter into small pieces.
- Arrange a layer of bread in the baking dish, then scatter over a third of the cheese. Ladle over enough hot stock to thoroughly soak the bread without it floating, then repeat the layers twice more, finishing with cheese. Tuck the pieces of butter over the top.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is deeply golden and crisp, and the centre is bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes so it slices cleanly but stays spoonable. Serve hot, cutting into thick slices and spooning a little of the rich stocky juices over each portion.
Recipe notes
Tips
- Keep the stock at a gentle simmer while you build the layers so it soaks in quickly and evenly.
- If your bread is very dry, add the stock in two passes per layer, letting it absorb for 1 minute before adding a little more.
- For anyone who is pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, make sure the bake is piping hot all the way through before serving.
Substitutions
- Replace Tuscan country bread with sourdough bread for a slightly tangier, sturdier base.
- Replace Pecorino Romano cheese with aged sheeps milk cheese for a similar sharp, salty finish.
- Replace unsalted butter with cultured butter for a deeper, more savoury aroma.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat in a 180°C (355°F) oven for 15 to 20 minutes until piping hot; add a splash of hot beef stock if it looks dry.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 1h (20min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Italian
-
Allergens:
Gluten Milk Wheat
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