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| Webmaster resume: Wenguang Han, senior engineer at
professor grade. Was born in 1937 in Tianjin China.1954 graduated from
the Beijing Chemical Industry Shool and assigned to the Nanjing Chemical
Industrial Corp., served as foreman, workshop director, deputy plant
director and chief engineer from 1954-1974. 1974-1997 was transferred
to Sinopec
Jinling Petrochemical Corp. (Nanjing), Served as plant director,
vice president of Jinling Petrochemical Corp.. Retired in 1997. Founded
"Philatelic
exploration round the world" and " Morricone
Fans" website in 2003. Was elected the honorary president of
" China Ennio Morricone Fans Association” (MorriUnion)
in 2009. Between 2012 and 2025, a total of 4,633 pages of "Ennio Morricone Fans Handbook" (Volumes 1-3) and "Ennio Morricone Rare Volume" were edited and published, and a complete Morricone Reading Resource Library was established(Detail here)
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| Our editorial team >>>>>> |
| Personal preferences: reading, collecting stamps, music, accordion, swimming, learning foreign languages after retirement, piano, computer, building websites |
| E-mail: qilingren@hotmail.com |
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The scene of a large number of luxury yachts docking at the dock has become increasingly common in our country after decades of rapid development. I can see many similar scenes when searching for "yacht dock" on Baidu Images. The following photo is from Sanya, Hainan Island |
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After all, pictures are pictures, and I have only seen such a real scene once. It was 33 years ago when I first saw this kind of scene in the port city of Alghero in the northwest corner of Sardinia, Italy. My feelings were different. Although film was used for photography at that time, taking photos abroad was very frugal because the few boxes of film I brought out were used up and there was nothing left. However, I still captured such a rare scene
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During my two visits to this island 33 years ago, it left a deep impression on me. Sardinia, in its thousands of years of history, has been inhabited by ancient Romans, Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, and Byzantines Constantly occupied and ruled by Spain for nearly 400 years, it has a rich history and culture, and is a place full of memories and contrasts - ancient and modern, peaceful and adventurous, ocean and mountains, modern petrochemical enterprises and shepherds passed down from generation to generation, pollution from large chimneys, and refreshing Emerald Coast In the 20th century, it was hailed as "the last pure land of the Mediterranean!" and "a vacation paradise for the wealthy Spanish King, British Princess Diana, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Each aristocratic family has a special fondness for this place. It's Elizabeth, a wealthy woman from the Morricone film " Bloodline" (FA7901), whose private villa is also located here. You can't help but admire the charm of this "Pure Land" (below: stills 004222-004343 of "Bloodline") |
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Of course, for most ordinary people, there may not necessarily be that much romantic sentiment. As for me, this island has indeed left me with many special memories. Apart from professional knowledge, its history, culture, humanities, and environment They all leave behind many unforgettable memories. One of them is the CARASAU, a famous Sardinian delicacy that we are going to talk about today |
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I remember in 1993, I was ordered to lead a group of 8 experts from Jiangsu Province, Nanjing City, and the Sinopec system to inspect factories in the United States and Italy. In Italy, there are two acrylic factories built in Sardinia, so our group must go there |
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On the first day, we visited a factory in Villacidro, Villacidro (as shown in Figure 2). On the second day, we were going to the town of Otana, about 100 kilometers north (as shown in Figure 4). After completing the visit to the second factory there, it was already 2 pm. Several experts from Eni Monte accompanied us to a small restaurant in the town for dinner. It was there that I first learned about this Carasau pancake |
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This type of cake is very thin and crispy. I remember it was used as a staple food on the dining table at that time, paired with salad, cheese, meat, and so on. The first time I tasted it, it gave me an unforgettable feeling - delicious, comfortable, refreshing, a bit like the pancakes we eat or the potato chips we snack on. Due to its different taste and pairing with different foods, it gives people a fresh and beautiful feeling. Upon my inquiry, the hosts introduced to us that this type of cake is a specialty of Sardinia with a long history. Due to its two times of baking processes and minimal moisture content, it can be stored for a long time without spoiling for even a year. Therefore, it is very suitable for shepherds who live outside for a long time. They bring these cakes, along with some cheese, sausages, drinking water, and so on, so they can leave home for half a year. It has been passed down to the present day and has become a popular delicacy in Italy and even many countries. I was very interested when I heard it, so I specifically asked them to write down its name with a pen to avoid forgetting it |
I didn't expect it to last for over 30 years, and I can't remember its Italian name anymore. Later, when I checked my old website, I remembered this CARASAU. Moreover, I mistakenly wrote the last letter as CARASAV, thanks to the network's error correction function. They showed me that you may have made a mistake and it should be CARASAU instead of CARASAV. By using this CARASAU, I was able to find a large amount of information about it on domestic and foreign websites, which gave me a better and more up-to-date understanding of it |
Firstly, search for "CARASAU" on Baidu AI in China, and it provides a simple but basically correct answer. Several Chinese web pages have provided brief introductions to it, such as 01， 02， 03， 04， 05 and so on |
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Next, using foreign search engines, the results obtained are very rich. They are related to the history, origin, methods, and eating habits of CARASAU ... all have detailed introductions. Interested friends can search for "CARASAU" there and see related web pages. Here are a few excerpts from it |
Origins and History
The origins of Pane Carasau date back to ancient times. Archaeological findings suggest that primitive forms of this bread were already present in Sardinia during the Nuragic Age (1800-500 BCE), demonstrating that this baking technique has millennial roots.
The name "Carasau" derives from the Sardinian word "carasare," which means "to toast" or "to brown," referring to the second baking that characterizes this type of bread. This double baking wasn't just a flavor choice but primarily a practical necessity: to ensure the bread's preservation for extended periods.
Over the centuries, the recipe and production technique have been refined, but the fundamental principles have remained unchanged. Tradition dictated that Pane Carasau was prepared once a month, in large quantities, in a community ritual that involved several women from the village. This custom, called "su coghina," was an important moment of socialization and sharing.
Historical documents from the Giudicati period (900-1400 CE) already mention a bread with characteristics similar to Carasau, confirming the continuity of this tradition through the centuries. During Spanish domination and later under the Savoy kingdom, Pane Carasau remained a central element of Sardinian diet, especially in inland areas where shepherding was the predominant activity.
Traditional Consumption
In Sardinian tradition, Pane Carasau is consumed in different ways:
Dry: As an accompaniment to cured meats, cheeses, and olives, it represents the ideal appetizer or a quick but substantial meal.
Softened: Slightly moistened with water or hot broth, it becomes softer and can be seasoned with olive oil, salt, and possibly herbs.
In broth: Broken into pieces in a meat or vegetable broth, it was a substantial and comforting dish, especially in winter months.
Traditional Recipes
There are numerous traditional recipes that use Pane Carasau as the main ingredient:
Pane Frattau: Layers of Pane Carasau softened in broth, alternating with tomato sauce, grated pecorino cheese, and often poached eggs on top. It's a complete and very flavorful dish.
Zuppa Gallurese: Typical of Gallura, it includes layers of Pane Carasau, cheese, meat broth, and herbs, baked in the oven until obtaining a soft consistency inside and crispy on the surface.
Suppa Cuata: Similar to Pane Frattau but enriched with vegetables, legumes, and sometimes meat, it's a very nutritious main dish.（See here） |
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| 。Originally, shepherds brought carasau bread, some water and a piece of pecorino cheese or sausage with them into the fields – all placed in the ‘taschedda,’ a small leather backpack. When they returned home, the carasau bread that had broken into small pieces were then used in the recipe for Pane Frattau, soaked in water or broth to soften it. Then they combined it with the other ingredients so typical of peasant tradition.在正宗的餐厅里，The recipe for Pane Frattau is very simple. For each portion, you need two sheets of carasau bread dough. Quickly dip them in a large pot with boiling vegetable broth to soak – first on one side and then on the other. Yes, you'll probably burn your fingers. It will only take a few moments, though – just enough time to wet them. Place the bread in a large dish and dress with tomato sauce, plenty of grated pecorino cheese and, in the middle, a poached egg – don't be afraid of this cooking technique, though! Just practice the steps a couple of times to be able to do it easily. (See here) |
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Later, I thought of “Taobao”. In recent years, I have found that I can buy a lot of foreign food on Taobao. After so many years of operation, can I find this CARASAU? Fortunately, when I searched for "CARASAU" on Taobao, I saw 11 matching results, including 10 in Shanghai and one in Yangquan, Shanxi. The Chinese name they use is uniformly "Kata Crispy Bread Dried". The main image is the same, with a selling price of 300 grams ranging from 49.3 RMB to 104.4 RMB. Only the cheapest one has 13 people paying, while others have 0 people paying |
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I opened the cheapest one and carefully looked at it. The store name is Shanghai Yimu Food, five-star, with a rating of 4.9 |
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I opened the most expensive one again (104.4 RMB) to check, and the content and production date are similar |
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Looking at it this way, the things are the same, maybe they will expire soon. 49 RMB can buy something I haven't seen for many years, it's worth it, so I quickly made the payment. The item was sent quickly, and I opened it carefully to check. Not bad, "old friend" has met again! |
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The outer packaging indicates 300 grams. Open it and take a look. There are thirty to forty pancakes inside, I weighed them and each one weighs about 7-8 grams. The side length is about 16 centimeters, so the diameter of the entire cake is about 32 centimeters. The cake is very thin, less than 0.5 millimeters. Similar to Chinese pancakes |
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Image below: Instructions on the back of the packaging box
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I am glad to see these 'old friends' again in Nanjing, and I am grateful for the convenience brought to ordinary people by the reform and opening up. In the next few days, I will experiment with several eating methods mentioned earlier one by one, and the results are very satisfactory. Firstly, I followed my way of eating in a Sardinian restaurant by "eating dry". I broke a piece of KARASAU into small pieces and dipped them in various seasonings available at home. The best feeling was to dip it in the President brand‘ s Cheddar flavor and spread it on cheese. (Tomato sauce, sesame sauce, Thousand Island sauce, etc.) Actually, you can just scoop out some cheese from the small pieces of this CARASAU and eat it. Chewing slowly, the wheat aroma and silky feeling, for me, relived the beautiful memories of Sardinia decades ago. It's best to preheat this pancake in the oven at around 80 degrees Celsius for a few minutes beforehand for a better taste. However, because the pancake is very thin, be careful not to burn it easily |
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Afterwards, I experimented with "wet eating" by soaking the whole CARASAU in cold water for about a minute and taking it out. The effect was very good, just like Chinese pancakes I made myself, it could be completely rolled up. I coated it with Thousand Island Sauce and added a piece of Bologna ham sausage (I don't have lettuce or other vegetables at home temporarily at this time), then rolled it up before eating, and the effect was also very good (you can add other foods according to your preference) |
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Thirdly, make soup to eat. Actually, I made spaghetti the same way I made it myself. First, I cooked minced meat, tomato sauce, some water, and so on in a pot. Then, I broke the CARASAU into small pieces and mixed them well before serving it. Compared to spaghetti, it has a different flavor. Of course, if you're willing to make soup, it's the same. After the soup is cooked, just put the slices in the soup） |
Finally, in my experience, it has similarities with Chinese pancakes, but it has the following unique features: |
1. Due to differences in flour, yeast, ingredients, and baking methods, their original taste is different and cannot be completely replaced. |
2. The storage time of CARASAU can reach one year, while our own pancakes at home can only be stored for a few days, and even the China's “Guozi Head“ are only a few months. Ordinary Chinese pasta and spaghetti can have a shelf life of one year, but they are raw and must be cooked. However, CARASAU is cooked and you can eat it right away. This is the best choice for people who need long-term preservation and can eat it anytime, especially office workers who lack cooking time |
3. It can be eaten dry, wet, made into soup, or eaten as noodles. This kind of adaptability is not found in typical Chinese noodles |
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Finally, returning to the theme of our website: Morricone's music and films |
After more than 20 years of collecting, watching, listening, learning, and researching Now I can tell you that Morricone's music, his films with music (including TV series, etc.), and a total of 1111 related films (according to the 4th edition chronology) are extremely extensive and profound in content. They are not only a garden for us to appreciate excellent music, but also a relatively easy and convenient way for us to familiarize ourselves with, explore, appreciate, and study various aspects of Western culture, art, geography, history, religion, and society. I hope everyone benefits from them, cultivates their temperament, enriches their knowledge, improves their abilities, and serves society。 |
What we are going to talk about now is this TV series "Italia vista dal cielo from the Air" (FA7212). This is a long documentary that was filmed for 11 years from 1967-1978. Funded by ESSO, a subsidiary of the renowned ExxonMobil company in Italy, and directed by Folco Quilic, a renowned Italian documentary filmmaker. The entire drama is divided into 14 episodes based on the 14 main regions of Italy, with significant contributions from many artists and historians, and different musicians in each episode. It mainly takes the form of helicopter aerial photography, comprehensively reflecting the geography, history, culture, politics, architecture, customs, and other aspects of these regions. It is an important resource for a comprehensive understanding of Italy, with the final episode being Sardinia (L'Italia vista dal cielo - Episode: Sardegna). The filming time is said to be in 1978, and it was composed by Morricone. For a detailed introduction, please refer to this webpage on our website |
It is very difficult to collect the complete set of these 14 episodes. When editing this movie website in 2011, only two episodes were obtained, and the episode "Sardinia" had not yet been obtained. It was not until 2018 that I discovered and downloaded it on the EMULE program, and in 2025, it was equipped with Chinese and English subtitles, which made it easier for us to understand its content. One of the approximately 40 second shots is related to the theme of our webpage (which should be to describe the CATASAU - referring to those precious traditions). |
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The subtitles is as follows:“ The gods always forget her，Just like the god who accidentally created her。She has always been poor and very beautiful，Poverty and lonely。All the Conquerors，Deki concluded that those who deprived and enjoyed her after conquest left，She was exhausted, just as many poor and beautiful women who were never married and were left out of history。There is no history, but there is a precious traditional heritage passed down from generation to generation。This is exactly the challenge Sardinia faces today，Reconcile tradition with Innovation，Unsolved challenges become the source of crisis".。 |
Below is a clip for everyone to share（000542-000625） |
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The following is the soundtrack composed by Morricone for the episode "Sardegna" |
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001 |
Un Organo Nel Vento (04:27) |
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002 |
Sardegna (02:03) |
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003 |
Tra La Foresta E Il Mare (08:11) |
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004 |
Sardegna (03:54) |
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005 |
Sehni Misteriosi (01:51) |
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Reference webpage |
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Time flies like a rainbow. One should strive on the way !
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| 2026.6.16 |
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