The culurgiones or culurgionis (and other lexical variants) are a fresh filled pasta, like ravioli. Different fillings are used, ranging from simple ricotta to ricotta flavored with lemon or orange, stuffed with cheese and chard, onions, with a pinch of Sardinian saffron.
Up to the culurgionis d’Ogliastra, so called from the name of the historical area from which they originate, filled with potatoes, cheese, lard or extra virgin olive oil and mint, which have now become PGI, a Protected Geographical Indication product.
“In the Sardinian language, however, the term culurgione is generic, as it simply means 'raviolo'. It is its filling that determines its specificity, as well as the reference area and the shape of the pasta considered.”
Another peculiarity is offered by the "spighita" closure, that is to say an ear of cereal, obtained by pinching the two edges of the disk of dough, which contain a ball of filling, until they are completely sealed, like a precious embroidery, and thus giving the drop shape to this type of pasta.
Nowadays, culurgiones are presented in several more contemporary variants or classically seasoned with fresh tomato sauce, but traditionally they were also eaten baked or fried, without any other seasoning. These last two versions are worth keeping an eye on as a possible refunctionalization of culurgiones also in the street food version.