Sheep are perhaps the most quintessential emblem of Sardinian cuisine and pastoral culture. The native breed of Sardinian sheep is one of the oldest in Europe and, to date, there are more than 3 million inhabiting the island. Sheep in a coat is one of the best known and most popular among traditional Sardinian recipes. It is a sheep meat stew with the addition of various vegetables.

It is a dish that lends itself more to the winter period but is served in all seasons. In fact, it is in the summer period that the sheep meat reaches its peak of flavor due to the diet change to dried grass which produces exceptional aromas.

INGREDIENTS:

2 kg sheep (shoulder and side)
4 white onions (all the same size)
6 potatoes
2 carrots
1 celery stick
4 sprigs of thyme
chili pepper to taste salt to taste

PREPARATION:

Cut the sheep meat into pieces, not too large, and set them aside.
Boil the water in a large pot (at least 10 liters) together with two thinly sliced ​​potatoes to thicken the water. There are 2 different schools of thought regarding the addition of the meat. If the meat is added when the water is still cold, the sauce will become particularly tasty because the meat’s aromas are released into the sauce. If, instead, it is added to the water when it’s boiling, the meat will immediately compact and retain its juices to remain tastier.

During cooking it is necessary from time to time to skim the broth with a slotted spoon to remove the foam released from the meat. Add a little salt, and season with the chili powder and thyme in small quantities. Taste the sauce halfway through cooking to check the flavors and adjust if necessary.

Add the whole onions, carrots and celery after one hour of cooking the meat. Let them cook for 10 minutes before adding the whole potatoes.

Check the potatoes with a fork for doneness. Once the potatoes are cooked the sheep in a coat is ready. It is recommended to serve the sheep in a deep dish, one that can hold the meat and vegetables with the sauce, in which you can soak up the broth with the traditional dry pistoccu bread at will.