The rock, the reef and the fish: a day among the miracles of Pietra Ligure

An imposing limestone rock that rises on the mainland, a short distance from the sea. Someone, very probably a Roman general, climbed onto it and said: "Here a castle must be built. A fortress. It's the perfect place: you can see the sea, we can control the ships, it's high but not too high, you can see the hills around very well too". And so it was: on that evocative rock they built a fine fort, which they later enlarged during the period of the barbarian and Saracen invasions (between the 6th and 9th centuries). The Romans' intuition proved right: the castrum was easily defensible, although it nevertheless suffered devastation and when it was rebuilt in the 12th century it became the residence and refuge of the bishops of Albenga.

Our walk through the streets of La Pietra, as the town was called in the past, begins right at the famous castle, and continues in discovery of the highly colourful Ligurian caruggi full of shops that wind through the historic centre. We thus reach the stupendous main square of the town, where the Basilica of San Nicolò stands. And here a miracle is immediately revealed: according to popular legend, in 1525 Saint Nicholas of Bari freed the population of the village from the plague that was raging along the coast. So the community made a vow, promising to build a splendid church in honour of the Saint. They wanted the church to be marvellous and to be erected in the most beautiful point of the town, and it is precisely because of this enthusiasm and perfectionism that the works slipped from decade to decade, in search of the perfect place.

In the end it was decided on the wide beach facing the village and in 1750 the works began. The church was consecrated in 1791, when it was not yet entirely complete and had only one bell tower. Today anyone who comes to Pietra Ligure can admire both bell towers, as well as several precious works of art inside, including the icon on wood of San Nicolò, painted by the Genoese painter Giovanni Barbagelata. But the one worked by Saint Nicholas is not the only miracle of Pietra Ligure: several others occurred, especially Marian ones, at a small chapel located near the marshes of the Maremola, on which was painted a fresco of the Virgin with the Child. That fresco is now in the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora del Soccorso, built in the sixteenth century.

Wandering through the characteristic alleys, we also discover the Salita di Santa Caterina, through which one once reached the ancient fortress and a small square with two oratories, that of the Bianchi and that of the Neri. The Oratory of the Bianchi is the ancient parish church of the town, built around the 9th century, today transformed into an auditorium and venue for exhibitions, although Holy Masses are still celebrated inside on the occasion of various feast days. After discovering many of the secrets of the history of this pretty town, what is needed is a lovely walk under the palms of the seafront and an exquisite dinner based on seafood specialties: so we sit at the spacious dehor of the Ristorante Lo Scoglio, in Via Don Giovanni Bado, a short distance from the Basilica. "This was one of the first restaurants in Pietra Ligure.

We have run it since 1992 with my wife Patrizia and with our son Manuel," Nino Iannuzzi, the owner, tells us, with a long experience behind him gained also in Germany and England. We start with a mixed seafood platter, both cooked and raw, including swordfish, marinated salmon, tuna, anchovies and a little prawn cocktail. Among the starters we also taste the Ligurian marinated anchovies with Borgio capers and rocket, as well as mussels with spicy tomato with chilli in flavoured oil. "In the kitchen we use a lot of basil, which we grow in our garden, as well as tomatoes, parsley, rocket and many other vegetables," Mr Nino explains.

We continue our dinner tasting the typical dishes offered by the restaurant, including white potato gnocchetti and squid-ink ones, with squid and prawn sauce, the large ravioli made with squid ink, stuffed with fish, with a very light pale sauce, with salmon roses, while some of us happily taste the homemade squid-ink tagliolini, with seafood sauce, with the shellfish. We wash down these delicacies with Ligurian wines, especially Pigato and Vermentino, and continue the dinner with excellent fresh fish baked with potatoes and basil, prepared, like all the other dishes, with Ligurian extra virgin olive oil. We also taste a fried catch of the day and a mixed grill of fish caught partly directly by the owner, a keen spearfisherman.

We end the dinner with tasty avocado and pine nut semifreddi, and with almonds and amaretti: delicacies whose sweet taste will remind us of this day spent in Pietra Ligure.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante Lo Scoglio Via Don Giovanni Bado, 87 Tel.: 019/625175