A Trip Near Bra, Between Mystery and Good Food: A Day in Pocapaglia

If we had arrived on these hills on the edge of the Tanaro plain a few centuries ago, we could have witnessed some rather mysterious events, and not only because the history of Pocapaglia is lost in the mists of time, having been inhabited since prehistory and in Roman times too, a fact also encouraged by the locality's proximity to Pollenzo. Legend has it that long ago it was enough to take a walk around the Rocche on the third full moon to witness the night dance of the masche. The witches, according to the chronicles of the time, jumped and ran gesticulating around a bonfire, let out whistles and deafening screams, flew on broomsticks, but despite such exuberance, they do not seem to have been very attractive: they supposedly had bristling hair, fierce eyes, sharp teeth, long forked tongues, scaly skin and thick yellow nails on their hands and feet.

Among the masche of Pocapaglia, however, there were some figures whose fascination, despite the bad end they came to, has endured over time. One of them was Micilina, sentenced to death for witchcraft, whose story is today the subject of re-enactment events in the village. When she was led to the place of execution, on a hill north of Pocapaglia, set between two huge chasms, the procession witnessed strange events: a terrifying meowing was heard through the air while tangled balls of net spread across the road and voices shouted "Hold on, Micilina!". Unfortunately for the poor woman, her bound hands prevented her from using her supposed magical powers, so the execution took place and her remains were burned at the stake. Some say that the indelible traces of blood and fire are visible to this day. Even without seeing them, pausing on the edge of those ravines certainly has an effect.

But there are many reasons to be amazed in Pocapaglia, for instance the imposing castle located at over 380 metres above sea level, which shapes the town's skyline and makes it easily recognisable even from afar. First mentioned in 1197, the manor, rebuilt several times, has always played a crucial role in the history of the municipality. During our walk we also admire several beautiful religious buildings, including the parish Church of Saints George and Donatus, built in its present form in the seventeenth century, and the Church of Sant'Agostino, that is the Confraternity of the Disciplined, located to the east of the Castle. First mentioned in 1585, it was rebuilt in its current Baroque forms starting in 1742. A day in the Roero as it should be can only end at the table, so we reach the Ristorante Pizzeria La Luna e i Falò, in the hamlet of America dei Boschi.

The warm, family atmosphere immediately puts us at ease, as does the kindness of the owners. "After twenty-five years of experience in a restaurant-pizzeria near Turin, a year ago we decided to move here, on the outskirts of Bra. Our kitchen is based on the quality of the raw ingredients, always chosen with the greatest care. What's more, we make both the pasta and the desserts in house," Mrs Marina tells us, who runs the place with her husband Michele. Careful choices that are appreciated right from the starters: the exquisite and tender carne all'albese, the vitello tonnato, but also an octopus carpaccio that leaves us open-mouthed: it isn't sliced like salami, as is often done, but in a star shape, preserving the animal's natural form. Some of our group can't resist the pizzas, extraordinarily light (thanks to the blend of quality flours).

We thus taste "La Solita", which surprises us for its tastiness and richness: mushrooms, ham, olives, artichokes, wurstel, spicy salami, onion and gorgonzola. We also try some exquisite farinate and the pizza al tegamino, very rare in the area. We continue with the typical agnolotti del plin filled with three roasts, the tagliatelle and the seafood spaghetti that are one of the restaurant's signature dishes: this good, they're hard to find anywhere. We wash it all down with excellent wines from the Langhe and Roero, and our culinary excursion continues with a series of fine meat dishes, including the veal under-fillet with green pepper and the mixed grill. Finally, we certainly can't resist the sweet temptations of the house, which will surely be among the "magical" reasons that will bring us back to Pocapaglia soon.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante La Luna e i falò da Babbo Via del Bersaglio, 2 (Fraz. America dei Boschi) Pocapaglia (CN) Tel.: 0172/473228