In Castellana Grotte, in the province of Bari, farmhouse Serragambetta wecomes guests in an ancient holiday villa, where it is easy to find authentic flavors and be in contact with the history and the culture of a land which, as the owner Mr Domenico tells us, still lets us see its most truthful face.
What is the origin of your farmhouse?
In the 19th century the building used to be a summer holiday villa. Then in 1983 my family started to put up friends in the summer, and later, with the introduction of farmhouses, the facility has developed up to its explosion in the Nineties, continuing to welcome customers. We have kept the original 19th-century building, by restoring some spaces that were not inhabited in the past, such as the cattle shed, now hosting a bedroom.

Which activities can be carried out?
In summer we ofer some activities connected to the orchard and to the vegetable garden, while all year long we produce olive oil and almonds. People are interested in a direct experience and they collaborate with agricultural and gastronomic activities, such as bread-making, or cooking for dinner. For instance we make pasta together, like cavatelli or orecchiette, and with very good results! According to the requests, we also offer different itineraries on the territory, for instance one at the discovery of small country churches.

Which products can be tasted at your farmhouse?
Orecchiette, typical of central Puglia, dishes based on broad beans and chicory, such as ‘impanata’ with pieces of hard bread, oil and vegetables according to the season. It is the most genuine dish: in fact, broad beans have been for centuries the base of nutrition here in a series of variants. We also offer roasted figs with almonds or lemon peel, and guests can take part in the preparation. We also organize one-day courses open to external groups as well.

Do you have any initiative for the summer?
We organize Pizza Pizzica Party once a week: a folk group plays ‘pizzica’ and presents dances from Southern Italy, and then there is the wood stove. It is a good occasion of contact and exchange among local people, friends and guests, and to get to know another aspect of our culture.

What do you love the most of your territory?
First we have to see what we mean by the term ‘territory’. Puglia includes different territorial entities, which are very different from one another from the cultural point of view. We are in South-Eastern Murgia, and here a strong relationship between territory and culture still exists: although on the territory the traces of man are well visible, it is still possible to read very well its history and what took place there. This is a real wealth and heritage, if it is well managed and protected, and it has to be safeguarded both economically and socially. Here it is not necessary to do the typical thing, but it is still possible to do authentic things instead. In fact, the ‘typical’ is something that actually does not exist any longer, it is discontinuous, but it is revitalized by some people. The ‘authentic’, instead, continues over time, it has no need to be made up or rediscovered: ‘impanata’, for instance, is not a typical dish, it is authentic, since it is passed on from generation to generation, like all cultural and linguistic forms.

What is the most important thing in your holidays?
I want to have a real contact with reality, I am not only looking for a relaxing holiday, but rather for the contact with people, not only the visits to monuments or museums. I think that this is easier in small villages, that is why I often prefer visiting places which are not so popular.