Sardinian-style boiled sheep

Sheep, boiled Sardinian style or in capotto, is a typical dish of traditional Sardinian cuisine; a simple dish that has its roots in Sardinian pastoral life. It is a stew based on sheep meat, which is part of the Sardinian gastronomic tradition.

Most traditional Sardinian dishes are eaten in the open air, during village festivals and specially created events and are, to this day, very popular with tourists. For example, shepherds in the Orgosolo area, and especially in Barbagia, after transhumance, offer sheep in capotto, hosting tourists, also from various parts of Sardinia, inside their sheepfolds during lunch. 

The preparation is very simple, the recipe sometimes varies from place to place, but the main ingredients besides sheep are potatoes and onions. The cooking time is quite long, at least two hours, depending on the size of the pot and the amount of meat and vegetables. When it is cooked, the carasau is soaked in the broth and vegetables and pieces of sheep are placed on top, which will be very soft and tasty when cooked.

In many villages, the 'sagra della pecora' (sheep festival) is organised, creating an ideal opportunity to valorise this important resource. Among these festivals, the oldest is that of Ploaghe, which has been held since 1980 at Ferragosto, on 15 August, and always attracts many tourists from different tourist areas of the island.