PANE FRATTAU
Serves 12

This is a Babbo variation on the Sardegnan shepherd classic. Traditionally this bread was made to last several months in the mountain shelters where shepherds would spend the night. The bread would be softened with water or milk and be eaten with the just made cheese. This celebratory dish is more festive and luxurious using ingredients hard to find in the mountainous Sardegnan terrain


INGREDIENTS
12 pieces carta di musica bread (recipe follows)
3 cups hot water
4 cups basic tomato sauce, hot (recipe follows)
4 1/2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 eggs
2 1/2 cups pecorino sardo, freshly grated

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place 1 leaf bread on each of 12 large plates. Pour 1/4 cup hot water over each and allow to soak 3 to 4 minutes, until soft and pliable. Meanwhile, place a nonstick pan over medium heat and add 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil. When smoking, crack 4 eggs into pan, keeping separated. Fry eggs sunny side up for 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat this procedure twice, using remaining oil and eggs.

2. Meanwhile, spoon 1/3 cup hot tomato sauce over each leaf of soaked bread and transfer to smaller plates, folding bread to fit on plate. Place 1 egg on each bread, sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.



CARTA DI MUSICA
Makes 12 leaves

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup fine semolina flour
1 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups water


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F.

2. In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour, semolina flour, and salt and mix ingredients thoroughly. Slowly add the water, stirring with a wooden spoon to form a soft dough. With your hands, work the dough into a ball. Place on a clean, floured work surface and knead for about one minute. The dough should be firm and pliable, not sticky.

3. Divide the dough evenly into 12 balls and place each on a lightly floured surface. Flatten each ball to 1 inch thickness. Generously flour the work surface and with a heavy-duty rolling pin roll each portion of the dough as thin as possible, into a rough 8- to 9-inch round. The dough should be thin enough to see your hand through it.

4. Place several rounds of dough on an ungreased baking sheet and place in the oven or place on a baking stone with a baker's peel. Bake until the top of the bread is firm and lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Baking time will vary and will also depend on the number of breads placed in the oven. With tongs or your fingers, turn the bread over and bake until the other side is slightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes more. The bread should be rather bumpy, puffy, and irregular, with occasional pockets full of air. Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining rounds of dough.

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped in ¼ inch dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds one week in the refrigerator or up to six months in the freezer. Makes 4 cups.