Todiano to Preci: Earthquake Damage to Truffles

We headed through the magnificent Valnerina to a wink of a hilltown, Todiano, not far from Preci. The arched entryway to the village is testament to its origins as a 14th-c feudal castle.  Above the arch and stretching to the right stands our reason for the jaunt to Todiano Palazzo Anzuini. The wounded regal facade of the16th-century is testament to the October 2016 earthquake. The lovely 4-bedroom, 5-bath noble palazzo which Anzuini heirs had transformed into an enticing residenza d’epoca (“lodgings of historical note”) for visitors is now closed, until restoration will return  it to its former glory. 

One building company bidding on the restoration job is Pino’s,Impresa Edile Giuseppe Alagna.

The reason for our trip there? So that Pino could see first-hand the damage in order to estimate restoration costs.

From Todiano we headed to a favorite restaurant outside of nearby Preci.  Preci has direct links to Todiano, for the noble palaces of this tiny, nondescript mountain village were built by the wealthy 16th-c doctors of Preci, famous throughout Europe (and do read here about the curious reason for their fame!)

 

Pino opted for the antipasto al tartufo which included frittata al tartufo  and bruschetta al tartufo.   As always here at Ristorante Il Castoro, I chose as a primo, fioretti pasta with wild asparagus and shaved black truffle:

….and a friend along with us chose the gnocchi with porcini mushrooms and black truffle: