NUORO, SARDINIA
by Seb Emina

Those who travel to Mediterranean islands mostly gravitate towards the coast. Which is fair enough. But it is also, paradoxically, the reason why the most interesting places tend to be found inland. What makes one island different to all the other islands? You won’t find the answer in the seaside pizzeria; you’ll find it in the landlocked town on the hill. What was once a haven from pirate attacks has probably evolved into a sanctuary from plastic buckets and overpriced beers.

A case in point is Nuoro in Sardinia, an ancient city on the slopes of Monte Ortobene. An old pagan settlement, it’s known for its artists, museums and left-leaning politics, and for an incredibly rare variety of pasta. The pasta’s name is su filindeu, which means ‘yarns of god’ (this is in the Sardinian language, Sardo, Nuoro being a particular hotspot for its everyday use).

Su filindeu is classed as an endangered heritage food. Only three women in the world can make it, all from the same family based in Lula, a satellite village of the town. Nobody really knows how it started but for more than three hundred years the technique has been passed along from mother to daughter, and enough daughters have stayed in Nuoro to ensure its survival. When famous chefs have visited from abroad and observed su filindeu being made, they’ve been unable to understand how it’s possible, so skilful is the process, so feather-fine the noodle.

There are three addresses in Nuoro that serve su filindeu. I visited the one called Il Rifugio, on Via Antonio Meuru, a cosy and affable family restaurant. On TripAdvisor it is ranked seventh out of a hundred restaurants in the city. The su filindeu comes in an amber mutton broth also containing pieces of pecorino cheese. It’s served in a white bowl and all looks very humble, but is tasty and hearty and — with the story in mind — thrilling in the way reserved for experiences you know that few other people have had before. In this sense you could say it is the pasta equivalent of sailing across the Atlantic or walking on the moon. Only by heading inland can you experience it. Every beach is the same; if you really want to know an island you have to head for the hills.

• Seb Emina is the editor in chief of bookish magazine The Happy Reader and author of The Breakfast Bible, a breakfasters’ compendium of recipes, essays and miscellany.