The agriturismo: an Italian culinary wonder

Dotted throughout the rural plains, mountains and coastal hinterlands of Italy's diverse regions are hamlets of honest feasting, for those who dare to drive there.

Agriturismo Il Belvedere. Source: Michele Carrara

These are agriturismi, which I learnt about on my first meeting with Paola, years ago in Milan. She explained that agriturismo (agritourism) was a working farm with accommodation and dining. According to the government-operated Agriturismo Italia, there are now over 20,000 agriturismo across Italy. Initiated by farmers after the second world war to preserve rural communities, these farm stays soon became a means of nature respite for city dwellers, their popularity leading to the eventual regulation of the industry. 

Michele Carrara of Agriturismo Il Belvedere, a vineyard and agriturismo near Bergamo, explains one requirement of an official agriturismo. "There's a law in Italy that takes on different nuances in different regions, but it requires all agriturismo to use 80% of ingredients purchased from agricultural companies in their own region. It's a way of protecting typical local products, especially since the main activity is agriculture and the agriturismo is an accompaniment."

I reunited with Paola, now "Nonna" to my son Giulio, on our long-awaited return to Italy last September. We stay at Il Belvedere for one night, the four of us in the "Camera Familia" suite with Jeeves, Michele's dog, ever-present outside our door, ready to play with Giulio. The front door also beckons us to step out onto the hacienda-like balcony with views down into the valley, where the family are hard at work for the vendemmia, grape harvesting.  

Michele's family bought the vineyard in 2009 and in 2012 began taking necessary steps to add accommodation. In 2015, when Expo Milano brought much attention to the region, Agriturismo Il Belvedere was born – "a coincidence", notes Michele.

Scarpinòcc at Il Belvedere. Source: Danielle Dominguez

Here you can amble among the vines or sit in the courtyard, pinching yourself while enjoying a glass of Il Belvedere red. At the restaurant, be prepared to dine on whatever the chef is cooking. The reward is a succession of glorious dishes that are comforting and traditional. Food is not Insta-styled and unidentifiable, but exceptional local produce prepared with care.  

"Our signature dish is the scarpinòcc, which are typical ravioli from the mountains of Val Seriana, a valley in Bergamo, filled with bread, cheese, and walnuts, served with melted butter and sage," says Michele. I was fortunate to try this wonder, followed by a semifreddo that erased all memory of previous wobbly incarnations. 

In Tricase, Salento, down in the heel of Italy, I direct our friend and designated driver, Pasquale, along a dirt road to an agriturismo I have found online. We have spent the morning traversing the rugged Adriatic coastline, marvelling at rocky formations; me dreaming up an Italian home in Salento.

Preserving finocchio marino, marine fennel that grows along the rocky coastline of Salento. Source: Cesarina Baglivo

Agrituristica Gli Ulivi is less manicured than its northern counterpart; the property is in the dusty Salento landscape among olive trees and animal pens, its stone walls suggesting the farm has existed for centuries. 

Cesarina Baglivo, the owner of Gli Ulivi, explains that she and her husband Giulio have run the agriturismo since 1996, where she cooks in its restaurant with other family members. The farm had been in Giulio's family for decades and transforming it into an agriturismo was not without administrative difficulties, Cesarina discloses. This speaks to the high standard farms must attain to be deemed an agriturismo.

At agriturismo you can feel the warmth of the people and the hospitality.

When we enter the restaurant, it is brimming with locals enjoying Sunday lunch. We opt for the smallest of three menu sizes: antipasti, one main and dessert. For a total of €60 (about AU $97), including coffee and wine, we are served a banquet of delicacies that are a struggle to finish.

Agrituristica Gli Ulivi. Source: Cesarina Baglivo

All of the farm's produce is certified organic. Cesarina is most proud of the bread "fatto in casa" (housemade) with olives or pumpkin. Guests also love the orecchiette with cime di rapa (broccoli rabe), carne arrosto (roasted meat) such as gnomarelli (offal) and crostata made with the family's jams. 

We sink into the hominess and buzzing chatter, feasting for hours and thanking Google. When we wander outside with our crostata, Giulio is feeding the revered bread to turtles. "At agriturismo, you can feel the warmth of the people and the hospitality, the simplicity and the good gestures of people that are involved in different duties," says Cesarina.

With 20,000 Agriturismo to explore, I might need to save for that second home. 

 

Love the story? Follow the author here: Facebook @Dan Domi Travels, Instagram @dandomitravels. Photographs by Danielle Dominguez, Michele Carrara and Cesarina Baglivo.