Tastings of typical products, itineraries and sensory workshops in Barbagia Superiore
In Ovodda, a small town in the province of Nuoro, in the Barbagia di Ollolai area, a new era begins on 16, 17 and 18 December 2022, with a way of understanding the local economy rooted in time and the launch of a three-year project which intends make the area known with guided excursions, food and wine tastings and sensory workshops, stimulating all the senses in a slow way. A calendar for an experiential weekend, organized by the Department of Culture and Local Development with the Natural Shopping Center, the Pro Loco, the Ovodda horse racing association, ASD Doghändelas and Avis, with the involvement of local production realities, which aims to awaken sensations in the authentic encounter between tourists and the community, focusing on the potential and cultural resources of Ovodda (in the cover photo). Horseback and walking excursions, sensory workshops, chestnuts, wine and local product tastings, music and entertainment: these are the activities that will mark the pre-Christmas weekend in the town with the experiential tourism activities of the Ovodda Experience program. Furthermore, on 18 December, as part of the program of events for the Christmas holidays, there are Christmas markets in Piazza Gennargentu throughout the day.
After the introductory day of food education and a snack with local products for primary school on Friday 16 December 2022, a horseback excursion with a guided tour of the territory and archaeological areas is scheduled for Saturday. A maximum of twenty-five people per shift can participate in sensory workshops and guided tastings of local products on Saturday 17 December, at 11:00 and 16:00 in Piazza Gennargentu. At 18:30 there is the tasting of local wines in the square, chestnuts and roasted cheese with live music by the duo of Gianni Garrucciu (event usable without reservation). Sunday 18 December there will be a walking excursion with a guided tour of the territory and the archaeological areas. At 11:00 and 16:00, in Piazza Gennargentu, there are limited number of tastings and sensory workshops (25 people). At 12:30 you can enjoy the wine tastings and the taste itineraries with the typical Ovoddesi products pitzudos, zippulas, pane ‘e assu. A chestnut party was organized for 3.00 pm. Visits to local producers are also possible by appointment.
How to get to Ovodda
To reach Ovodda, a mountain agro-pastoral center of about 1700 inhabitants at the foot of Mount Orohòle, in the heart of Sardinia at 710 meters above sea level, since the village is not well served by public transport, you have to travel by car: either you must necessarily rent one when you arrive in Sardinia or you can disembark in the port of Arbatax even with a vehicle in tow using the Civitavecchia – Arbatax ferries, which leave twice a week at 20:00 and arrive at their destination after 9 hours of navigation, at 05:00 the following morning. For the reverse leg, departures from the Sardinian port are made at 02:00 with arrival at 11:00 in the port of Civitavecchia. The price of a round trip for two passengers in the deck berth and for a car up to four meters long, in this high season period for the holidays, is approximately € 175 but may vary over time and according to to the accommodation (deck passage, seat, cabin) or to the services chosen. Dinner and breakfast can also be booked (on board there is a self-service restaurant, an à la carte restaurant, cafés and a shop) and you can travel with your pet. The distance between Arbatax and Ovodda is almost 90 kilometers (approximately an hour and a half driving), along the SS 389var road of Buddusò and Correboi.
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Typical of Ovodda
The territory is characterized by the cultivation of vegetables, fodder, olive trees, vines and other fruit trees, woods and farms; the rivers Tino and Taloro flow into the artificial lake of Cucchinadorza; there are remains of ancient settlements among which we find menhirs (Predas fhittas), Tombs of giants, the prehistoric tombs domus de janas and nuraghi. Among the local agri-food excellences, bread, handmade pasta (ravioli and Sardinian dumplings) and desserts stand out. The footpaths are highly developed, with paths in the luxuriant surrounding nature of the formally established National Park of the Gulf of Orosei and Gennargentu. Here, where life expectancy is higher than the average, there are many centenarians, guardians of knowledge that is handed down through ancient traditions.
Among the typical dishes of Ovodda, in the proposed taste itineraries, we certainly find the pitzudos, large ravioli made with semolina pasta, oil, lard, water, eggs, salt and pepper, filled with fresh pecorino cheese and potatoes (they are fried or boiled and seasoned such as pasta), zippulas, donuts made with semolina, eggs, boiled potatoes, brewer’s yeast, orange peel, milk and brandy, Sardinian sheep’s milk cheese and chestnuts.
Typical products also include sas ispòlas bread and carasau Fressa di Ovodda bread (thin and crunchy pane ‘e fresa, to be enjoyed alone, with accompaniment or in the recipe called pane frattau with the addition of eggs, tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil, pecorino cheese, basil and onion or aromatic herbs, in broth or not; also written pane fratau, which would be the more correct dialectal form, the dish originates from the customs of shepherds. The cheese that is produced by the farms is Pecorino Fiore Sardo. For those who support meat, lamb is often prepared roasted, while pork especially for the grandula, the guanciale that is made from it, and cured meats. Puzzoneddos are typical sweets made of glazed hazelnut paste (or walnuts), honey, orange peel and anise, in the shape of small animals and flowers. In addition to this typical ovoddesos sweet, local companies also make other traditional Sardinian sweets very well. Thanks to the cork oaks the processing of cork has greatly developed, which finds various applications such as stoppers for wine bottles, containers and trays for food. Thanks to the presence of a quality stone, the granite processing sector is also relevant, the material of which the bell tower of the 18th century Church of San Giorgio is in fact made. In the neighboring areas the Barbagia IGT wine is produced from white and black grape varieties. Ovodda is part of the local action group (GAL) Barbagia Mandrolisai Gennargentu Rural District and of the Authentic Villages of Italy network.
