Rustic

El Brite de Larieto (BL)

by Lavinia Colonna Preti
El Brite de Larieto (BL) — Veneto Secrets

In Cortina, immersed in a larch forest at an altitude of 1664 meters below the peaks of Monte Cristallo, El Brite de Larieto farmhouse is a true paradise of taste and charm that honors the Ampezzo tradition with a delicious farm-to-table cuisine.

El Brite almost exclusively uses organic products that come from the adjacent family farm. In fact, in the summer it is not unusual to see cows and goats grazing free in the small valley, giving us the feeling that Heidi and Peter can really emerge from the woods at any moment.

Such a magical place could only be the result of a great love: that between Ludovica and chef Riccardo Gaspari, the owners, custodians of the memory and cultural heritage of the local Alpine lifestyle, of which they are also ambassadors in the world of fine food and wine. The couple, in fact, in 2017 opened SanBrite, located a few kilometers from the farmhouse, which offers a more creative and experimental cuisine, which in 2021 was awarded its first Michelin star.

El Brite de Larieto (BL) — Veneto Secrets
El Brite de Larieto (BL) — Veneto Secrets

We serve on our tables the memory of many sunrises, sunsets, snowfalls, mornings spent in the stable, pastures and high-altitude herbs in order to convey the soul of our wonderful mountains to you.

(Ludovica and Riccardo, owners)

The cuisine, supervised by Riccardo, promotes the peasant tradition of these mountains through the enhancement of ancient recipes (thanks to continuous research involving the “grandma cooks” from Cortina) and the use of typical products of the area such as speck and mountain cheeses. Ludovica also manages the Piccolo Brite dairy, in the Alverà area next to San Brite, a refined cheese boutique where you can buy the delicious products of the farm: cheeses and pure cream butter, fruit yoghurt, ricotta and speck.

On the menu, among the most popular dishes, we find the famous six-month-old speck tartare with cucumber sauce and salted butter ice cream, canederli with melted alpine butter and Nonna Annetta’s casunziei, stuffed egg pasta with red turnip and hazelnut butter. Even the dessert list could only be a tribute to the territory such as Cecilia Tenerina, a chocolate cake with eggnog, and the milk ice cream (from the cows of the farm) with chocolate crumble and raspberry cream. And after tasting it, the fiordilatte flavor will take on a new meaning!

El Brite de Larieto (BL) — Veneto Secrets

The wine list boasts an excellent choice of biodynamic wines on offer, such as Teroldego, Lagrein, Gewurztraminer, Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, and craft beers such as the spiced smoked one and the honey and almond malt one.

El Brite’s interior is characterized by a typical mountain decor with small rooms covered in larch wood, such as the room of the “Stua” (the wood stove in local dialect) very romantic and full of those charming details that have made Ampezzo houses famous all over the world.

El Brite de Larieto (BL) — Veneto Secrets

Open only until dusk for lunch and delicious après-ski snacks (do not miss the “merenda” till 18), in the warm months, you can dine in the sun on the outdoor terrace from which you can enjoy a beautiful view and, on request, it is also possible to organize picnics with a basket and blanket provided by El Brite and then enjoy a walk in the beautiful nearby woods.

The Secret

El Brite, which in Ampezzano means the shepherd’s house, was originally a hut used for the sale of fresh milk. A tradition still honored today in the milking of cows raised on fresh grass and hay. The result is a yummy milk, obtained without the use of chemical products or additives, which is used for the production of the Piccolo Brite’s cheeses, yogurt and butter.

Useful Info

El Brite de Larieto
Località Larieto, Strada Passo Tre Croci
32043 Cortina, Belluno
Tel. +39 368 7008083

Starters and first courses: 15 — 18 euro
Second courses: 15 — 25 euro
Desserts: 8 euro

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