Go Back
culurgiones sardinian dumplings recipe

Culurgiones (Sardinian Potato & Pecorino Dumplings)

Culurgiones are hand-sealed Sardinian pasta dumplings filled with creamy potato, pecorino, and mint or garlic. The braided spighitta seal looks like a wheat grain and protects the soft filling. Serve them with a simple tomato sauce, basil, and grated pecorino.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course, pasta
Cuisine: Italian, Sardinian Cuisine
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pasta Dough
  • 2 cups fine semolina flour rimacinata
  • ½ –¾ cup cold water as needed
  • 1 –2 tbsp olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: ½ cup 00 flour mixed into the semolina for softer sheets
For the Potato Filling
  • 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes
  • 1 –1¼ cups grated Pecorino Sardo
  • or use Pecorino Romano but reduce added salt
  • 1 –2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small garlic clove warmed in oil or a few chopped mint leaves
  • Salt to taste
For the Tomato Sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 can good-quality chopped or whole tomatoes
  • Salt
  • Fresh basil leaves
For Serving
  • Grated pecorino cheese
  • Extra-virgin olive oil

Method
 

Make the Dough
  1. Combine semolina, salt, and optional 00 flour on your work surface.
  2. Add water slowly and start bringing everything together.
  3. Knead 10–15 minutes until smooth, firm, and elastic.
  4. Add a splash of olive oil and knead it in.
  5. Wrap and rest for 20–30 minutes so the gluten relaxes.
Prepare the Filling
  1. Boil potatoes whole with the skin on until tender.
  2. Drain and let them steam-dry a few minutes.
  3. Peel and rice/mash them while still warm.
  4. Mix in grated pecorino, olive oil, and mint or garlic-infused oil.
  5. Season lightly with salt (Romano is saltier—taste as you go).
  6. Let the filling cool and firm up.
Make the Tomato Sauce
  1. Warm olive oil in a pan and cook the onion until soft.
  2. Add tomatoes and simmer 5–10 minutes.
  3. Season with salt and finish with torn basil.
Roll and Cut the Dough
  1. Divide the dough into pieces and keep them covered with a damp towel.
  2. Roll each piece to 1–3 mm thick (1 mm for delicate, 3 mm for easier handling).
  3. Cut out circles with an 8 cm / 3-inch cutter.
  4. Keep the circles covered so they don’t dry out.
Shape the Culurgiones
  1. Place a round in your palm and add a heaped teaspoon of filling.
  2. Push out air from the bottom.
  3. Start the spighitta braid: pinch left over center, then right over center, repeating up the seam.
  4. Finish with a tight last pinch at the tip.
  5. If braiding is too tricky, seal into a crescent shape with a double pinch.
Cook the Culurgiones
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil.
  2. Drop in dumplings in batches.
  3. Cook 4–6 minutes, or until they float and feel tender.
  4. Lift gently with a slotted spoon.
Serve
  1. Spoon tomato sauce on the plate.
  2. Place culurgiones on top so the braid shows.
  3. Finish with grated pecorino, basil, and a thread of olive oil.

Notes

  • Resting the dough makes it easier to roll thin without cracking.
  • Keep the cut circles under a damp towel—dry edges are the main cause of broken seams.
  • Don’t overfill; you always need a clean rim for a tight braid.
  • Mint is traditional in many Sardinian homes, but garlic-infused oil is also common—either works beautifully.
  • If you freeze them, cook straight from frozen and add 1–2 extra minutes.