The mountain lodge in Val Pusteria serving amazing ravioli stuffed with mountain roots

Three meters above Brunico. From up here, the capital of Val Pusteria looks like a postcard. Spring-polished meadows, a sea of daisies, and an expansive view that stretches to the snow-capped peaks of Plan de Corones. To get here, we travelled a mountain road cutting through magnificent pine forests, encountering just a couple of smiling hikers with walking sticks. This is the domain of the Feichter family; Gasthof Oberraut opened its doors in 1974. Located in Ameto, about a 10-minute drive from Brunico, at an altitude of 1,240 meters.

What a beautiful place. We found the vegetable garden, the greenhouse, the stable, and the children's play area. The menu strictly indicates which products are homemade – there are many – and which are selected from local farmers and hunters. As we were about to order, the classic Pusteria potato pancakes and sauerkraut arrived, which we paired with a Trentodoc. The wine list isn't the main strength of the place, mostly sticking to regional selections without much daring. We started with a well-seasoned beef tartare, and the first courses exceeded our expectations. The goat cheese and basil stuffed ravioli were enveloping, with the cheese flavour standing out, plenty of butter, and well-made pasta. They melted in the mouth with great naturalness and flavour. But it was the next dish that made us dream: rutabaga ravioli with butter, parmesan, and almond flakes.

"Rutabaga is a root vegetable, it matures in autumn, usually available from October to May, it grows like celeriac. The colour of the ravioli is from beetroot," explained the waitress. The service, by the way, was impeccable. The dish was phenomenal; the yellow flesh of the rutabaga had a unique flavour, with a slightly pronounced sweetness but also a nice bitter note from the turnip, perfectly matching the beetroot, while the almonds added contrast and further depth. The pasta was ultra-thin, with clear and distinct flavours: a bite of great elegance and character. Finally, something different. The tagliatelle with venison ragù were very good, with rough pasta and intense but delicate meat. The venison bites were also excellently prepared, with perfect texture: both firm and tender, and well-judged use of wine and spices in the sauce. The sides included pumpkin, cabbage, and a potato gratin. Overall, the quality of the ingredients was evident and the cooking was done with great skill. "The game always comes from the surrounding forests, the hunters bring us the whole animals and we process them ourselves. Cristhof (Feichter) takes care of that."

In season, there’s also nettle soup, dumplings, and the classic goulash. We finished with coffee in the sunshine outside and wandered through the meadows. We promised to return for another house specialty: apple fritters with vanilla sauce. And for that rutabaga, so difficult to pronounce yet so delicious to eat. For those who want to take it easy, there are seven hotel rooms upstairs.

Gasthof Oberraut, via Ameto 1, Brunico - tel. 0474559977