The best panna cotta I've ever eaten can be found in a hidden trattoria in Masone. And it has a secret (which we’ll reveal to you)

by Piermichele Gamba

"I've worked on it a lot," says Gianni, the current owner of Da Pippi, "and it has a little secret. But the difference is made by the raw materials, the milk and cream from our pastures, the hard work of the farmers, and the freshness and genuineness of the few ingredients that make it up." Gianni, the current owner of Da Pippi, speaks of the place you wouldn't expect in a village of just over 3,000 inhabitants inland from Genoa that is worth the trip for the dessert alone. And not just any dessert.

Where the best panna cotta ever eaten is born

Paraphrasing Don Abbondio, one might say, "Masone, who was he?" Indeed, before they built the toll booth on the A26 motorway, the village was a small holiday destination for Genoese who, after crossing the Turchino pass - for whose demolition to create a gap to let the fog flow out, a Milanese tram driver, one Piero Diacono, presented a detailed project to Portobello by Enzo Tortora, in 1978 - used to go and enjoy the coolness of the Apennines at the border with the municipality of Mele. And there is still plenty of coolness today, as well as rain, low clouds, and fog, as those who descend from the Po Valley towards the Ligurian capital know well, and when the queues get too long, they take this exit only to take the winding road that crosses the pass. But there is certainly another great reason: it is the panna cotta of the Pippi trattoria.

The history of the Pippi trattoria and its legendary panna cotta

Pippi was Giuseppe Macciò, the father of Giovanni, known as Gianni, the current owner. His mother was orphaned in 1940 and at just six years old, she moved in with her uncles who had long owned this flourishing and long-standing establishment. Now Gianni runs it with his wife, daughter, and a cook’s assistant whom he is careful not to let go. Naturally, it is a full-fledged restaurant with a composite and spacious environment, where a more recent part harmoniously integrates with older stone structures, including a functioning fireplace that adds a rustic touch. The cuisine matches this with dishes equally distant from Genoese and Alessandrian traditions, offering Fassona beef tartare with fresh porcini mushrooms, pumpkin or asparagus flan according to the season, ravioli both del plin and al “tuccu”, trenette al pesto, braised beef in Barbera, and Ligurian-style rabbit. Dishes change with the seasons and the availability of strictly local supplies.

Then there is the queen, the one that Gianni calls "to die for." On the dessert menu, it’s the first among at least ten specialties (we also recommend not missing the zabaglione with chocolate cake or ice cream). But it arrives graceful and tempting, swaying gently as the plate is set on the table; warm white in color with some reflections on the satin surface given by a thin caramel glaze. A small shake or a tap with a spoon makes it sway slightly, soft and graceful. And then it has a crunchy "crown" that makes the real difference: a sprinkle of nougat, but not just any nougat, but that of Canelin, the sprightly nonagenarian from Visone who has captivated palates around the world and for nothing in the world will leave the recipe to anyone.

What Pippi’s panna cotta in Masone is like

The taste lives up to its appearance. A balance between sweetness and richness, slightly bitter notes, and toasted hints measured with precision, a soft and silky yet firm texture thanks to an almost exclusive reduction process, covered with a slightly more viscous layer of caramel and the crunchiness of the unevenly broken nougat that gives a surprising final touch to a bite that never tires. Unveiling all its secrets would be unfair, but at least Gianni owes us a little anecdote. And so he confesses: "I don't want to say it's the best in the world, that would be immodest, but do you believe that many customers, even before booking, ask... but is there panna cotta?"

Da Pippi - Masone (GE) - via Roma, 94 - 010 9269126 - Facebook