Su Filindeu: The World's Rarest Pasta
"The threads of God" – the literal translation of Su Filindeu. Fewer than ten people worldwide master the technique of making this wafer-thin thread pasta by hand.
A single family for over 300 years
Su Filindeu has been made in Lula near Nuoro exclusively by the women of the Abraini family for generations. The recipe and technique are passed down orally within the family – outsiders who were shown the process have so far failed to reproduce the result, even professional chefs and pasta makers.
How the pasta is made
A dough is kneaded from durum wheat semolina and water, then stretched and folded by hand repeatedly until the finest, thread-like strands form. These are laid out crosswise in three layers on a round tray ("fundu") and dried in the sun – the result looks more like a fine fabric than classic pasta.
Why it's so hard to find
Because making it is extremely time-consuming and only a few people master the technique, Su Filindeu is practically never offered in ordinary restaurants or shops. Anyone wanting to try it needs luck or good local contacts – one more reason it's considered one of the rarest dishes in the world.