Molise Italian Studies

Our friend, Magali Vilain has a beautiful guest house available outside of the small seaside town of Petacciato.

The Climb to Pizza 🍕⛰️

Yesterday, the learning started with a climb.

Not metaphorically.
Physically.

To reach Bas & Co., students had to wind their way up the steep stone paths of Pesche, a breathtaking mountain village that seems to grow straight out of the hillside.

Stone staircases.
Ancient houses stacked into the mountain.
A valley stretching endlessly below.

The kind of place where geography tells the story of how people have lived for centuries.

And at the very top?

One of the most beloved spots in Italy.e.co is ranked among the best pizzerias in the country, known for its commitment to traditional ingredients, long fermentation doughs, and serious craft.

This experience isn’t something you can just book online.

The pizzamaking workshop was created specifically for students in the Economics of Gastronomy program with .

Students learned to build a traditional Margherita pizza from scratch using:
🍅 house-made tomato sauce
🧀 fresh mozzarella
🌿 basil
🫒 local olive oil
🌾 carefully milled flour and slow-fermented dough

Because this program about more than just eating great foodI; I t’s about understanding the systems behind it.

From grain selection and milling
to fermentation
to cheesemaking
to olive oil production
to the restaurant economy itself

Suddenly a simple pizza becomes something bigger.

A network.
Farmers.
Millers.
Cheesemakers.
Olive growers.
Bakers.
Restaurateurs.

All connected through a single plate.

Later that evening the group continued the conversation in Agnone over a beautiful tasting dinner at .ristorantebraceria, exploring the flavors and agricultural traditions of the Alto Molise region.

And of course, the day closed the way every day does on this program:
✨ reflection
✨ discussion
✨ asking more complex questions

Huge appreciation for our incredible faculty partner , who is facilitating thoughtful daily dialogue using our Comparative Studies reflection toolkit.

And to our amazing onsite coordinator Andrea Rossi, who keeps the entire experience moving seamlessly.

Day one in Molise.
Already unforgettable.