Popularly called carta musica, due to its resemblance to an old music sheet parchment, pane carasau is a traditional Sardinian flatbread whose origins have been traced to the Nuragic Age, circa 1900-730 BCE. Because of its long storage life, pane carasau was once a staple food of Sardinian shepherds during their trips to mountain pastures.

This artisan Italian bread is made with durum wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt; it is extremely thin and twice-baked for extra crispness. With quite a unique flavor and a heavy aroma of cereals, barn, and wood-burning ovens, this flatbread is delicious as a cracker and is typically enjoyed as an accompaniment to various snacks, cheeses, appetizers, and soups.

Pane carasau is also used for preparing another classic of Sardinian cuisine called pane frattau, a lasagna-style dish made with crispy sheets of carasau that are soaked in hot water, then layered with tomato sauce and pecorino Sardo cheese.