Name: Pane frattau
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g Pane carasau (Plain thin, crisp sheets; break into large pieces.); 1,500 ml Meat broth (Use prepared sheep broth, skimmed. Skimmed; have it ready before starting. This measured amount allows for dipping the bread and poaching the eggs.); 500 g Peeled tomatoes (Crushed, with their juice, for the sausage sauce.); 250 g Italian pork sausage (Remove the casing and crumble; use a plain, unsmoked sausage.); 100 g Pecorino Sardo (Choose a grateable Pecorino Sardo; finely grate.); 4 pieces Eggs (For poaching.); 0.1 g Saffron (Stir into a little hot broth before adding to the sauce.); 15 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (For the sausage sauce.)

Have the sheep broth ready before you begin. Dip each piece of carasau for only a few seconds: it should bend without falling apart.

Make ahead Use prepared sheep broth; making it from scratch is advance preparation outside the one-hour recipe. Have the bread, grated cheese and warm serving bowls ready before dipping the carasau.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium

Pane frattau

Prep 20 min · Cook 40 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

400 g14 oz
Pane carasauPlain thin, crisp sheets; break into large pieces.Plain thin, crisp sheets; break into large pieces.
1,500 ml6⅓ cups
Meat brothUse prepared sheep broth, skimmed. Skimmed; have it ready before starting. This measured amount allows for dipping the bread and poaching the eggs.Use prepared sheep broth, skimmed. Skimmed; have it ready before starting. This measured amount allows for dipping the bread and poaching the eggs.
500 g1 lb
Peeled tomatoesCrushed, with their juice, for the sausage sauce.Crushed, with their juice, for the sausage sauce.
250 g9 oz
Italian pork sausageRemove the casing and crumble; use a plain, unsmoked sausage.Remove the casing and crumble; use a plain, unsmoked sausage.
100 g3½ oz
Pecorino SardoChoose a grateable Pecorino Sardo; finely grate.Choose a grateable Pecorino Sardo; finely grate.
4 pieces4 pieces
EggsFor poaching.For poaching.
0.1 g0.1 g
SaffronStir into a little hot broth before adding to the sauce.Stir into a little hot broth before adding to the sauce.
15 ml1 tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oilFor the sausage sauce.For the sausage sauce.

Method

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the crumbled sausage and cook over medium heat for about 7–8 minutes, stirring and breaking it up, until it has lost its raw appearance and begun to color.Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the crumbled sausage and cook over medium heat for about 7–8 minutes, stirring and breaking it up, until it has lost its raw appearance and begun to color.
Add the crushed tomatoes. Dissolve the saffron in a spoonful of warm broth and stir it in. Simmer gently, partly covered, for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is cooked and still loose enough to spread. Add a splash of broth if it reduces too much. Keep warm.Add the crushed tomatoes. Dissolve the saffron in a spoonful of warm broth and stir it in. Simmer gently, partly covered, for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is cooked and still loose enough to spread. Add a splash of broth if it reduces too much. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, bring the remaining sheep broth to a gentle simmer in a wide saucepan. Warm four shallow bowls and divide the carasau into large pieces. Put a spoonful of sauce in the bottom of each bowl.Meanwhile, bring the remaining sheep broth to a gentle simmer in a wide saucepan. Warm four shallow bowls and divide the carasau into large pieces. Put a spoonful of sauce in the bottom of each bowl.
Dip a few pieces of carasau into the hot broth for just a few seconds, until flexible, and lift them out with a slotted spoon. Lay a loose layer in each bowl, then add sauce and grated cheese. Repeat until each bowl has at least three layers, using most of the cheese but keeping some for the finish. Do not leave the bread soaking in the pot.Dip a few pieces of carasau into the hot broth for just a few seconds, until flexible, and lift them out with a slotted spoon. Lay a loose layer in each bowl, then add sauce and grated cheese. Repeat until each bowl has at least three layers, using most of the cheese but keeping some for the finish. Do not leave the bread soaking in the pot.
Keep the remaining broth at a bare simmer, with no rolling bubbles. Crack each egg into a cup and slide it gently into the broth. Poach in two batches if necessary for about 3–4 minutes, until the whites have set; leave longer if you prefer a firmer yolk. Lift out and let the excess broth drain.Keep the remaining broth at a bare simmer, with no rolling bubbles. Crack each egg into a cup and slide it gently into the broth. Poach in two batches if necessary for about 3–4 minutes, until the whites have set; leave longer if you prefer a firmer yolk. Lift out and let the excess broth drain.
Put one poached egg on each layered serving. Finish with the last spoonfuls of sauce and the reserved grated cheese. Serve immediately.Put one poached egg on each layered serving. Finish with the last spoonfuls of sauce and the reserved grated cheese. Serve immediately.