A Fairy-Tale Weekend at a Farm Stay in the Ligurian Hinterland: an Outing to Sassello – Part II

From the cattle stables we move on to the horse stables, some with fanciful names like Iseo or Bitang. Given the lovely day, almost all of the farm's ten horses are outside, wandering among the paddocks or along the surrounding trails, but a few have stayed behind too, and one greets us also on behalf of its brothers: a handsome white horse, friendly and curious in character, recently arrived at the farm.

"On the occasion of the Green Weeks for groups of children, we work with the nearby riding centre of the Associazione Ippica Le Rocce, where they have a proper school for learning to ride, as well as training for endurance competitions. There they also organise pony rides for the children on Marietto," Francesco explains. When, instead, the children come for the educational farm, as well as telling the cattle apart and getting to know the horses, complete with a saddle christening on normal horses, they can also visit the slaughterhouse and learn many interesting things about fodder crops, seed crops and cereals, and their cultivation techniques.

The farm is, in fact, almost entirely self-sufficient as regards the production of feed and hay; for this reason too it represents a virtuous example of ecological sustainability.

During our wander we also get to know several other very friendly animals, including sheep, rabbits, a wild boar with its little striped young, and an Oriental breed of piglet with black-and-white hair. A brightly coloured rooster greets us with its cock-a-doodle-doo every time it sees us pass from one stable to another. The wealth of thick woods in the territory has meant that the farm has also specialised in the production of firewood, but also of timber for making roof beams and for other uses. The children also very much enjoy getting to know and touch the different varieties of wood, and learning to tell apart, for example, chestnut — hard and resistant, therefore ideal for roofs — from oak, suitable for burning.

After an afternoon almost entirely given over to riding and to the breathtaking experience of the saddle christening for our little budding riders, following a short nap in the quiet of our apartment, the long-awaited moment arrives to give ourselves up to the pleasures of the table. We take our seats in the characteristic dining room and begin to taste the farm's products, starting with a rich starter. People often talk of short supply chains, but here the zero-mile concept is to be taken quite literally: the fresh bresaola, the lardo, the mixed beef-pork cured meats, the fresh cow, goat and sheep cheese, as well as the vegetables we find in the omelette or as a side dish alongside the following courses, all come from the farm. A triumph of flavour, freshness and goodness, in absolute respect for the environment.

We also taste the cima and the vitello tonnato, as well as bruschette with a delicious lardo pâté, again homemade.

We continue with the exquisite homemade fresh-pasta first courses, enjoying a fine plate of ravioli al ragù, again prepared with meat the farm produces. We are in the Ligurian hinterland, so we cannot do without tasting tagliatelle al pesto as well.

The meat dishes are clearly one of the flagships of the place, and so our dinner continues with an excellent roast pork, while our friends divide between grilled meat, porchetta and spit-roast chicken, but the boiled meat is also a great success. All meat produced on site, which on the last Sunday of every month can also be bought directly at the farm. Dulcis in fundo, we gladly give in to the temptation of the homemade desserts, including a fantastic fruit cake, the millefoglie, the Nutella roll, the hazelnut cake and the ever-present pudding with Sassello amaretto, produced by the Giacobbe artisan factory, where everything is still worked by hand and where they also make gluten-free amaretti.

The rest of our weekend passes between regenerating mountain-bike and horse rides, interspersed with hours of pleasant idleness in the fresh air and with hearty meals in the name of the authentic flavours of the territory: definitely an experience to repeat soon, perhaps even on the way back from a day spent at the sea, which is only about twenty kilometres away.

Francesca Bertha FOR INFORMATION:

Agriturismo Romano Francesco Località Albergare, 4 Sassello (SV) Tel.: 019/724527