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Italian · V The Canonical Dishes · Sardinia

Cordula Sarda — Braided Lamb Intestines Grilled or Stewed

Sardinia

‹ Sardinia

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I

Origin

Sardinia — cordula is documented from ancient pastoral sources and appears in 15th-century descriptions of Sardinian festivals. The braided preparation is specific to Sardinia; similar intestine preparations exist across southern Italy and the Mediterranean but the braiding technique is distinctly Sardinian.

II

Description

Cordula is one of the most ancient surviving preparations in Sardinian cooking — lamb intestines (budella di agnello), cleaned thoroughly and braided into a long plait, then either grilled over live embers or stewed with tomato and peas. The braiding technique is specific: the intestines are plaited in the same pattern as a traditional Sardinian bread braid, producing a preparation that holds together during cooking and has a varying texture (outer surface crispy when grilled; inner folds tender). The grilled version ('arrosto') is served at festivals; the stewed version ('in umido') with peas and tomato is the Sardinian Sunday lunch. Both versions are ancient preparations that predate the tomato's arrival.

III

The Thread

—Lamb intestines cleaned and used to wrap offal, then grilled over live embers — the Greek Easter kokoretsi (lamb liver, heart, and lung wrapped in intestines and spit-roasted) and the Sardinian cordula share the cleaned lamb intestine grilled over embers tradition; both are festival preparations consumed at Easter or major feast days Greek
—Sheep offal prepared as a traditional festive preparation that requires thorough cleaning of the casing — the Scottish haggis (minced sheep offal stuffed into stomach) and the Sardinian cordula (braided intestines) are parallel traditions of using all parts of the sheep, including the intestines and organs, as festive preparations requiring skilled preparation Scottish
IV

Flavour Context

Cordula arrosto from the grill is charred and fragrant — the exterior crispy and slightly bitter from the char; the interior tender and yielding with a mild offal flavour that is considerably milder than liver or kidney. The lemon juice applied at the table cuts through the fat. For those who have grown up with the preparation, it is one of the most evocative tastes of Sardinian pastoral culture.

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