Trattoria della Pampanella

Trattoria della Pampanella is in San Martino in Pensilis, a town in Basso Molise, Italy, that is the home of pampanella — and this trattoria serves the town's defining dish at its source. Pampanella is pork marinated and rubbed with sweet and hot paprika and garlic, then roasted, producing a tender, spiced meat that is one of Molise's most distinctive specialities; here it is the centrepiece of the menu, prepared in the local tradition. Around it the kitchen offers handmade pasta such as cavatelli with ragù and local cheeses and salumi including caciocavallo, rounding out an authentic taste of the Basso Molise interior. The cooking is honest and rooted in the town's traditions, and the pampanella is best enjoyed warm with crusty bread to make the most of its paprika-rich juices. The setting is relaxed and traditional in the trattoria manner, friendly and unpretentious, suited to a leisurely lunch or dinner. Service is warm, and the wine list draws on Molisan reds, including the native Tintilia and Biferno bottlings, that stand up well to the spiced pork. As the place to try pampanella where it originates, the trattoria draws those seeking the genuine article, and booking is recommended on weekends when it is busiest. San Martino in Pensilis is also known for its Carrese, the dramatic ox-cart race held each spring, which brings visitors to the town. For travellers exploring Basso Molise who want to taste pampanella at its home — the spiced roast pork as the centrepiece of a meal, with cavatelli and local cheeses alongside — Trattoria della Pampanella offers an authentic and memorable taste of the region's most famous dish.