Zuppa gallurese — Italy

Zuppa gallurese, despite its name, is not a liquid soup but a baked casserole of layered bread and cheese, moistened generously with hot meat broth until it turns soft inside and golden on top, more of a dense bake than anything spooned from a bowl. It is reported from the Gallura region in the northeast of Sardinia, Italy, with the towns of Tempio Pausania and La Maddalena often cited as places where it is prepared, and it appears at family tables and local restaurants alike, especially in the cooler months. Slices of stale bread are layered in a baking dish alternately with grated or sliced sheep's cheese, sometimes with a little ground meat cooked in tomato between the layers. Hot broth, most often lamb or beef, is poured over the layers until they are well soaked but not swimming, and the dish is finished with a final layer of cheese before baking until the top browns and the broth is largely absorbed into the bread. The type of cheese, the presence or absence of meat between the layers, and how much broth is used all shift the result from a moist, almost custardy texture to a firmer, more compact one, depending on the household, and some cooks add a sprinkle of parsley or a dusting of pepper just before serving.