Lorighittas are rare, hand-plaited ring-shaped pastas from the tiny mountain village of Morgongiori in western Sardinia. You can also find them sometimes or on request at Gustami restaurant in Birmingham.
What are Lorighittas?
- Ingredients: Made from just three simple ingredients—durum wheat semolina (trigu murru), water, and salt.
- Shape: The dough is rolled into thin strands, wrapped twice around the fingers, and twisted into a delicate, braided ring resembling a small earring or animal yoke (sa loriga).
- Labor of Love: The entire process is done completely by hand, taking a skilled maker up to an entire day to produce just a single pound.
The Tradition & History
- 16th-Century Roots: First documented in official royal testimonies during the Spanish rule of Sardinia.
- All Saints’ Day Feast: Traditionally, local women gathered ahead of November 1st (All Saints’ Day) to knead and braid the pasta, laying it out to dry in intricate lace-like patterns on large wicker baskets.
- Folklore: Local legend warns children about Maria pungi pungi, a mythical witch who would visit during the night of the dead to puncture the bellies of children who ate too many lorighittas. [1, 2]
- Endangered Craft: Listed on the Slow Food Ark of Taste due to the rarity of the skill, the tradition is kept alive by local women producers and celebrated every August at the annual Sagra delle Lorighittas festival in Morgongiori.