Civraxiu

Civraxiu (Sardinian Semolina Bread)

Civraxiu is a traditional Sardinian bread made almost entirely from semolina flour, which gives it a pale, nutty crumb and a long shelf life. Baked in a wood oven and meant to last the week, it is at its best eaten with pecorino, cured meats, or simply dipped in olive oil.

Prep

30 min

Cook

45 min

Total

75 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (17½ oz (about 4 cups)) semolina flour, fine durum wheat semolina (rimacinata), not cornmeal; a small amount of type 00 can be substituted if pure semolina is unavailable
• •350 ml (1½ cups) warm water, about 38 °C / 100 °F
• •10 g (0.35 oz (about 2 tsp)) fine sea salt
• •5 g (0.18 oz (about 1½ tsp)) active dry yeast, or 15 g / ½ oz fresh yeast
• •10 g (2 tsp) extra-virgin olive oil, optional, for a softer crumb; traditional recipes often omit it
• •1 pinch saffron threads or honey, optional; some Sardinian bakers add a pinch for color and aroma

Steps

1. 1 Bloom the yeast: stir the yeast into 50 ml (about 3½ Tbsp) of the warm water with a small pinch of the semolina. Let it sit for 8–10 minutes until foamy. Discard if it does not foam.
2. 2 Mix the dough: in a large bowl, combine the semolina and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the bloomed yeast, the remaining warm water, the olive oil (if using), and saffron or honey (if using).
3. 3 Knead: mix with a wooden spoon first, then turn out onto a clean surface and knead for 12–15 minutes. Semolina dough is stiff; push and fold firmly. The dough is ready when it is smooth, elastic, and springs back when poked, and a small piece pressed flat does not tear at the edges.
4. 4 First rise: shape into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise at room temperature for 3–4 hours, or until roughly doubled. Sardinian bread uses very little yeast and a long, slow fermentation for flavor; a colder rise (12–18 hours in the fridge) is even more authentic.
5. 5 Shape: gently deflate the dough and form it into a round loaf or oval (a typical civraxiu is shaped like a tall disc, about 5 cm / 2 in high). Place seam-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a well-floured banneton. Rest for 20–30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
6. 6 Preheat and score: place a baking stone or heavy sheet pan on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 220 °C (425 °F) for at least 25 minutes. Just before baking, flip the loaf seam-side down, dust with a little semolina, and score a deep cross or tic-tac-toe pattern on top — the traditional Sardinian scoring.
7. 7 Bake: bake at 220 °C (425 °F) for 15 minutes, then reduce to 190 °C (375 °F) and bake another 25–30 minutes. The loaf is done when the crust is deep golden brown, sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 95 °C / 205 °F or higher.
8. 8 Cool fully on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. Semolina bread sets its crumb while cooling; cutting too early will make it feel gummy.