Rice: probably one of the last products that come to mind when you think of this magnificent Mediterranean island. Sardinia, known for its Cannonau and Vermentino di Gallura wines, Pecorino cheese, and Pane Carasau bread, as well as Malloreddus and Fregula pasta, is once again a region full of discoveries.
Rice cultivation in Sardinia
More than 50 percent of the rice produced in Europe is of Italian origin. And the majority of Italian rice production (90 percent) comes from the "Pianura Padana" region, the valley of Italy's longest river, the Po.
However, few know that Sardinia ranks fourth in rice production after Piedmont, Lombardy, and Emilia Romagna. And by the way, Sardinia is the leading region in Italy in terms of quality and propagation of seed rice, thanks to the very high quality of the seeds produced in the plains around Oristano and San Gavino Monreale. (1)
According to the Italian rice agency ENA – Ente Nazionale Risi – Sardinian rice seed achieves a germination rate of 92-94%, compared to a percentage that is normally much lower at 80%. (2)
History of Rice from Sardinia
Sardinia, better known for its excellent skills in milling wheat and processing it into various breads and pasta forms, has a relatively young history when it comes to rice.
Until the 1950s, rice was an imported product, similar to coffee, sugar, and pepper, and was brought to the island by the Spaniards—who had learned about this grain from the Arabs—during their nearly 400-year occupation of the island. Given the long Spanish rule in Sardinia, an osmosis of Arab culinary practices, mediated and localized through the Iberian mentality on Sardinian soil, was inevitable. (3)
The history of Sardinian rice begins in the fertile plains around the city of Oristano in the years 1920 to 1930.
At that time, Mussolini's government carried out extensive land reclamation measures to eliminate the swamps and marshes that made the area inhospitable and malaria-infested, transforming it into one of the most fertile areas on the island. (1)
Most of the settlers who joined this land reclamation were not from Sardinia but from the Veneto region in northern Italy. The question arose of what could be cultivated on the new land, which had been freed from standing water and mosquitoes.
The Venetian settlers brought their knowledge and skills in rice cultivation, thereby creating ideal conditions for rice farming in the Campidano and Oristano regions. (4)
On the new, fresh, and healthy fields, both in the plains of Cabras and Oristano as well as in the area of San Gavino Monreale, rice grew very well.
The establishment of the first rice-producing company was only a matter of time. Thus, in 1951, the first Sardinian rice company was founded, the famous "Riso della Sardegna", which can still be found in most supermarkets on the island today.
Quality of rice from Sardinia
While the production of Sardinian rice may not seem particularly large in quantity - it is cultivated on approximately 3,500 hectares (mostly in the provinces of Oristano and Campidano) - it is highly valued on the tables of Sardinians, not only for its organoleptic qualities.
Thanks to its fertile soil, excellent climate, and environmentally friendly cultivation practices, Sardinian rice ranks among the best in the world. On one hand, it competes in quality with the finest national rice productions; on the other hand, a significant portion of the harvest is used for seed rice, cultivated in the larger and more renowned growing regions of Northern Italy.
By now, Sardinian rice, especially its seed rice, is well-known among insiders on the continent. Farmers in Northern Italy highly value it for its high quality and low costs, attributed to the climate and environmentally friendly cultivation methods. As a result, the majority of rice produced in Sardinia is indeed shipped off the island.
Since the 1970s, there has been a Sardinian-Piedmontese agricultural cooperative with its own research and development center for seeds: SA.PI.SE (Sardo Piemontese Sementi). Here, new rice varieties are bred through natural crosses. Perhaps the most well-known is Riso Venere, a black rice resulting from a cross between an Italian rice variety and a black Chinese rice that did not adapt well to the European climate.
Sardinian rice varieties
In Sardinia, primarily classic Italian rice varieties are cultivated: Carnaroli, Originario, and Roma. Additionally, long-grain oriental rice varieties are also grown, such as Thai rice, which is aromatic and similar to Basmati, suitable for salads; Carnaroli, on the other hand, is ideal for risottos due to its excellent ability to retain its texture when cooked (6).
The Su Mori mill in San Gavino Monreale favors Giano, an aromatic Italian variety similar to Basmati, suitable for cold salads or as a side dish; then there's Selenio with its small, round grains, primarily used for sushi.
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