At the Castle of Moncalieri: History, Art and Mystery

To take a journey through time in which history intertwines with a series of miraculous events, but also with the shivers of mystery, the ideal destination is Moncalieri, founded as a free commune in 1230 and today the second most populous city in the province of Turin, after the capital. Had we arrived here in the Early Middle Ages, we would have breathed the authentic atmosphere of a city dominated by the Templars, to whom in 1196 passed the Benedictine Monastery of Sant'Egidio, already a refuge for the survivors of the battles in defence of Testona, the historic heart of Moncalieri. But the city's modern history is no less eventful and interesting: at the Royal Castle, a magnificent Savoy residence that dominates the town from above, the Proclamation of Moncalieri was signed in 1849, with which the king had the peace treaty with Austria approved.

A few steps from the imposing Castle we admire a breathtaking view of the snowy Alpine mountain ranges, and making our way among the ancient palaces we reach the evocative Piazza Maggiore, today dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II. Besides the noble residences that overlook this historic square, porticoed on three sides, we admire the Romanesque-Gothic Collegiate Church of Santa Maria della Scala, built in the fourteenth century. At the end of the same square we visit the Church of San Francesco, founded around 1210 and rebuilt in the eighteenth century. Some locals suggest we also visit the Castello della Rotta, built in the 4th century and considered one of the most haunted places in Italy. In particular, the tale is told of the ghost of a knight who is said to wander the fortress on horseback with an iron cross around his neck.

The fact that during recent excavations the remains of a knight exactly as described in the legend were exhumed has made many people's teeth chatter with fear. After this excursion into mystery, we decide to stop for dinner at the Ristorante Pizzeria Al Castello, located opposite the Savoy manor, in Piazza Baden Baden. The name of this square also reveals a legendary story: in 1458 Bernardo, a German prince and Marquis of Baden, known for devoting himself to bringing peace to places at war, died in Moncalieri. During his funeral a sick man miraculously began to walk again. Later, numerous miracles continued to occur at his tomb as well, thanks to which he became blessed and patron of the city.

After this long walk through history, it is truly a pleasure to sit at the table in the dining room, furnished with refined elegance and imagination, of the restaurant, where we soon discover another beautiful and stimulating story: that of the owner Nella, who has run the place for about ten years together with her husband Andrea, their children Alberto and Mariacristina and the restaurant's very capable manager, Sergio. "I come from Irpinia, from a poor family, but one that gave me that upbringing and those principles that have accompanied me all my life, also allowing me to find the courage many years ago to leave my factory job to take up the work of a restaurateur.

Aware of the importance of that leap into the unknown, my husband and I committed ourselves fully to learning this trade, and the results have always given us enormous satisfaction," Mrs Nella tells us with contagious enthusiasm. The secret of it all? Besides commitment, quality. "When we had little as children, my mother taught us to always favour quality over quantity. We bought little ham, but the best. So I'm uncompromising about the goodness of the raw ingredients: even on pizza we put the best ham there is," Nella tells us. Some of us indeed opt for the crispy pizzas, whose dough is left to rise for a long time, while the rest of the group chooses from the à la carte menu.

We thus enjoy a dinner based on seasonal, zero-kilometre products, starting with the exquisite meat tasting platter, rightly called Re Fassone, which includes the battuta, the carne all'albese and the salsiccia di Bra. The codfish tasting is also a great success: creamed, as a carpaccio, in meatballs, it is a delight in every form. It is a real pleasure to rediscover the flavours of the area without strange pairings, to savour a tradition that comes back to life and grows young again. The fish is cooked simply and cleanly, but there is also something for the "carnivores": here comes the braised fassone cheek cooked long at low temperature, with a Nebbiolo reduction and melting potato. Our dinner ends with what it would be an understatement to call libidinous: the Coppa Cicciona, a spoon dessert with Nutella, meringue and Chantilly cream.

We are sent off by the warm greetings of the owners and the lights of the Castle wrapped in the night: we are certain we want to relive the beautiful emotions of this day soon.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante Pizzeria Al Castello Piazza Baden Baden, 1 Moncalieri (TO) Tel.: 011/641203