The artichoke paradise is a restaurant hidden in a village in the province of Latina

Sante Perciballe by birth, known as Santuccio to everyone. In 1969, he was the mayor of Sezze, but in his heart, he remained deeply a farmer. That's why he decided to open a restaurant in his hometown, a medieval village in the province of Latina: a country trattoria focusing on local produce, counting on the love of his wife Lina, a skilled cook with a big heart and expert hands, and on the symbol of the territory, the Sezze's artichoke. Today, after 55 years, the "artichoke feast," a tasting menu entirely based on artichokes, attracts gourmets from everywhere.

Santuccio, the kingdom of artichokes (from Sezze)

"Over the years, some have organized buses from Perugia, Pisa, to come to Sezze and taste our dishes," proudly tells Giannino, the son, alongside his brother Sisto, leading the Santuccio's restaurant. A proud guardian of traditions in love with his land, the owner doesn't accept artichokes other than those from Sezze: "Even in neighboring areas, you can find good ones, but what can I say, for me, these are unbeatable." Spherical and compact shape, intense flavor, and great taste, "they grow well here thanks to the climate, suitable for the plant." Mom Lina is no longer cooking them, "she passed away three months ago," but the care in preparation is still the same.

Artichokes need good olive oil

The secret? "Extra virgin olive oil, it has to be good. We prefer local, we get it from Cori or Sonnino" from Alfredo Cetrone and other local oil mills. Quality but also quantity, "seasoning artichokes well is an art, no matter what type of cooking." And then fresh mint, "a clove of garlic, nothing else." But here they make many recipes: for example, the "matticella" artichoke, "cooked whole in the oven, to be eaten by peeling it with your fingers, like with flowers." A delicious "he loves me, he loves me not" dish.

Then there's the "bazzoffia," "a kind of vignarola but with more vegetables, from chard ribs to broad beans, with scrambled egg, pecorino cheese, and Sezze bread baked in a wood oven." Or stuffed meats, fresh pasta, oven-grilled prawns, potato and artichoke pie. The specialty of the house? "Hard to choose one. In fact, impossible."

Mamma Lina

The season runs from February to late April, for the rest of the year, the restaurant is open with simple dishes and a large vegetable component, "asparagus, zucchini flowers... our cuisine is very connected to agriculture." What they manage, the Perciballe family does it at home, just go to the back to find a vegetable garden with chickens. But how many artichokes do they work with? "In three months, we reach 60/70 thousand."

Alongside Giannino is always his brother, then a squad of people between the dining room and the kitchen, "we're the same as before, just a little older," he jokes. Giannino is the younger brother, he's 71, Sisto is 75, "some, like my parents, unfortunately are no longer with us, but otherwise, the spirit is the same." And the artichokes, a symbol of the business, the town, and an entire family history, will continue to tell a piece of Sezze and the Perciballe family to the rest of Italy.

Santuccio - Sezze (LT) - via SS. Sebastiano e Rocco, 95 - ristorantedasantuccio.it/