Our journey begins where it all starts: the Cabras pond, which borders the town of the same name, in the northern part of the Gulf of Oristano, in the Sinis peninsula.
It extends for 2,200 hectares and is among the largest ponds in Europe, considered one of the richest and most important wetland ecosystems in the Mediterranean, thanks to its biodiversity made up of water birds – such as the famous pink flamingos – numerous species of plants and various types of fish. Among these, the protagonist is the mullet, followed by eels, sea bass, doradas, and bream.
The Cabras pond has always been the beating heart of the local economy, a natural heritage that has fed generations of fishermen.
Since the times of the Nuragic civilization, its waters have indeed supported the families of the territory. In the past, fishing was practiced with "is fassonis", boats made by weaving rushes, the same material used to make the characteristic artisan baskets.
On the shores bordering the pond, beaches of quartz and crystal clear sea alternate, protected by the marine protected area of Sinis Mal di Ventre, next to the archaeological sites of Tharros – founded by the Carthaginians in the 7th century BC – and Mont’e Prama, where the statues of the Giants were found, Nuragic sculptures over two meters tall now housed in the Museum of the Mont’e Prama Foundation in Cabras.
After this deep dive into the territory, we talk about the pond and its riches with Giuliano Cossu, president of the Nuovo Consorzio Cooperativa Mar’e Pontis, which today brings together about ten fishing cooperatives. He is the only one authorized to fish in the Cabras lagoon, except for a small pond under concession.
Only the mullets caught here can boast the title of native product, from which the renowned bottarga di Cabras is made.
The processing follows ancient methods: the ovarian sacs containing the eggs are removed intact, washed with saline water, and immersed in salt for a period ranging from 4 to 15 days. They are then pressed and hung to dry in ventilated environments until they achieve the typical compact consistency and amber color of the finished product.
The bottarga from Cabras is not just a food, but a symbol: it tells of skilled hands, patience, and the sea.
Every year the production varies: last year, 30 quintals were produced, while this year a total of 7 quintals is estimated. To distinguish the original bottarga from the imported one, it is necessary to carefully read the label: it must state "muggine caught in the Cabras lagoon."
Many foreign products, coming from countries like Mauritania or Australia, look visually perfect but taste bitter.
The one from Cabras, on the other hand, releases a briny aroma and a unique sweet-salty balance, the result of mixed waters and the microclimate of the lagoon.
Just to protect this excellence, the New Cooperative Consortium Mar’e Pontis has initiated the Slow Food recognition process, obtained this year.
The red snail of Slow Food is not just a brand: it is a promise of authenticity, a seal that preserves the soul of a territory.
In addition to bottarga, the recognition also includes smoked grey mullet fillet and the grey mullet merca, prepared by boiling the whole fish (without the gallbladder) in salted water and then wrapping it in “zibba,” a marsh herb from the lagoon that ensures its preservation and transport, sealed at the ends with bulrush.
"The Slow Food snail will be immediately recognizable by the consumer," concludes Cossu, "who will thus have the certainty of purchasing a product that encapsulates the soul, heart, and territory of Cabras, which still has so much to discover."
