Lombardy: Mantova, deep into literature

I had never been to Mantova before even if it is just 2 hours far from Milan but I am sure that I will go back again...

In 2008, together with Sabbioneta, it has been acknowldeged,  an Unesco World Heritage Site and I think that it completly deserves it.

During this week-end we are staying at the camping that is just out of the hystorical centre, after "the bridge of the mills" that crosses what I thought to be the river Mincio but it is not true. This was one of the access to the countryside, together with the Saint George Bridge. Mantova is surrounded by four different lakes in which the Mincio flows: these are the "Lake di Mezzo", "Lake Superiore" (Superior Lake), the "Lake Inferiore" (Inferior lake) and the "Paiolo Lake". Since in the past, Mantova was an island, these lakes that surrounded the city rapresented the defence system of the town itself.

We leave our tents in the camping and we walk towards the centre and you can see its skyline, so well defined, from far away: the castle, the cathedral, the different towers..it's so lovely! You can enter the town from different points but all the net of streets will lead you in the heart.

During these days, there is such a beautiful atmosphere: there are a lot of  events to take part to and a swarm of people; here and there you can find something interesting: so many people that stroll around to find what they like most and if you are not only interested in literature don't forget that Mantua is the craddle of the Gonzaga family with a lot of beautiful places to see and, last but not least, the cuisine.

Its origins date back to the Etruscan even if it reached its grandeur with the "Signoria dei Gonzaga", whose splendor is preserved in the Palazzo Ducale, one of the most extensive Italian holds with more than 500 sections including halls, rooms, plazas, internal courtyards and gardens.

Unfortunately one of the place that, alone, is noteworthy the visit of Mantua is still closed because of the earthquake that affected the nearby region last year. During one of the conference I take part to, with a famous Italian writer, we are said that funds have just been financed and so "We cannot spend another Christmas without Camera Picta!, please spread out the news because we want they to re-open it!". This family attracted in Mantua a lot of important artists such as Pisanello, Leon Battista Alberti, Andrea Mantegna, Titian, Perugino, Rubens and Giulio Romano, one of Raphael's pupils who designed Palazzo Te, an extraordinary Renaissance villa that was built between 1525 and 1535.

But the city itself is full of beautiful porches, churches, balconies and facades that you can walk around looking around and observing its grandeur.

Moreover, you can delight also your taste with the typical cuisine that is a mixture of the Gonzagesh kitchen and the popular one, as a matter of fact it is called "the Kitchen of Princes and of the folk!"

The typical lunch starts with an appetizer made of exquisite salami and cold cuts, don't forget to taste the "salame mantovano". Among the first course you can find the risotto made with sausage and, the must are

TORTELLI DI ZUCCA

Ingredients (6 people):

For the dough:
400g flour 00
4 eggs
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt

For the filling
2kg sweet, mealy and raw pumpkin
100g amaretti cookies
100g parmesan cheese
Nutmeg
Salt
Pepper

Cut the pumpkin in great pieces and cook it in the oven. Once it is cooked, take it out from the oven and peel it. Pass the pulp into the masher till you get an homogeneous pulp. Add the crushed amarettis, the grated parmesan, the salt and the pepper. May the filling be too soft or wet (it depends on the pumpkin), just add some more cookies.
Now start preparing the pasta mixing together the flour, salt, eggs and oil. Roll out the dough in order to prepare some raviolis that don't have to be too small and let them rest one night long. The most has been done, cook them in abundant boiling water. Drain them and season them with melted butter and sage leaves, finally add some poppy seeds and enjoy them with some grated Parmesan Cheese...they are delicious but you must like sweet flavours....and I do!

Do you want to buy home made raviolis? Go to the Casa del Pane, in Via Verdi, 65 and you will find a lot of delicious plates to delight your palate.