At Guercino's home, following the snails: a slow trip to Cento

At the end of the 16th century, in a modest dwelling near the Porta della Chiusa, there lived a boy whom his companions affectionately teased for his squint. Perhaps to make up for that little physical flaw, nature gave him a great talent for painting. When he was eight years old, one day little Giovanni Francesco Barbieri painted a Madonna on the façade of the house where he lived. The word spread at once and the boys ran shouting: “Come and see what the Guercino has done! He's painted a beautiful picture on the wall!” That was the first of countless occasions on which people were able to admire the work of the artist born in Cento, nicknamed the Guercino.

During our day in this splendid medieval town, also called “the little Bologna”, we have the chance to see many of his works, visiting the Civic Picture Gallery dedicated to him. Moreover, in the 16th-century noble residence Casa Pannini, several rooms frescoed by the great Baroque painter can still be found.

Strolling among porticoes that line sumptuous historic palazzi and beautiful religious buildings such as the church of the Rosary, we eventually arrive at the courtyard of Lucrezia Borgia. The Palazzo del Governatore was built in 1502 for the marriage between Alfonso I d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia. With this event Cento was annexed to the Duchy of Ferrara. Today the palazzo houses the Aroldo Bonzagni Modern Art Gallery, dedicated to the 20th-century painter from Cento.

The town's authentic medieval atmosphere is also preserved by the evocative Rocca, built at the end of the 14th century and remodelled in 1483. Many mysteries and legends hover within the castle's thick walls, including one linked to an image of the Madonna which, following an act of sacrilege, began to bleed. Today the miraculous painting is kept in the nearby sanctuary of the Beata Vergine della Rocca.

From here on, our trip becomes an authentic “slow” journey, accompanied by the famous snails of this area. At the entrance to the Casumaro hamlet, the sign welcomes us to the “town of the snail”, and we discover that every year many tourists come here for the Fiera di San Lorenzo, on the occasion of which the snail festival is held.

A distinct hunger pang leads us to the Vecchia Osteria di Casumaro, whose motto is: “everything you've always wanted to eat and never have”. Welcoming us with great kindness in the characteristic rooms with exposed beams is Mr Cesare Paganelli, who runs the place with his partners. “This used to be an osteria and pub, then it became a restaurant. It has always been a landmark in the village, and we continue to offer the traditional local cuisine with the old recipes,” Mr Cesare explains. While in winter it must be very pleasant to sit inside, perhaps by the fireplace, today we're won over instead by the large outdoor portico.

We start with a mix of various field salads and Treviso radicchio with sautéed pancetta and balsamic vinegar. We continue with fresh handmade pasta dishes, including tortellini, pumpkin cappellacci, agnolotti and tagliatelle. The sauces – truffle, ragù or broth – change with the season. Excellent wines from the Bologna and Romagna hills, including Sangiovese, Albana and Lambrusco, enhance the flavours of these delicacies. Among the main courses, we certainly can't skip some snail speciality, which here are eaten all year round. On Christmas Eve, snails in umido alla casumarese are a must, their original recipe dating back to the Este family, but they're also prepared à la bourguignonne, with fondue, and can even be found in the filling of tortellini dressed with butter and sage.

Another strong point of the restaurant is fresh fish, available on request: the fresh fish à la catalana is fabulous. This time, though, we enjoy some exquisite dishes of quality Irish meat, including fillet with Colonnata lard and grilled fiorentine steaks with seasonal vegetables. Some of us delight in duck breast with fruit and rabbit alla cacciatora.

There's no shortage, finally, of original dishes such as Valencian paella or dark-chocolate fillet.

It will be a real pleasure to return here, perhaps on a music night or for a food event, for a good glass of wine or to enjoy a special Belgian beer accompanied by a tasty bruschetta.

This time our trip ends amid sweet emotions thanks to the “after eight” mint-and-chocolate semifreddo and fruit-based desserts.

Text: Francesca Bertha Consultancy and town photos: Valeria Balbiano

FOR INFORMATION:

La Vecchia Osteria Via Correggio, 509 Casumaro (FE) Tel.: 051/6848277 Facebook: La Vecchia Osteria Cento Email: lavecchiaosteria@gmail.com