‘First, second and last’: this is the motto of Be patienta rather special trattoria and pizzeria in Pilastro, a district on the outskirts of Bologna. Active for years to transform the restaurant experience into a moment of reasoned consumption and with positive repercussions on various levels, it does not want to declare the proposal on the menu so much as to remember that, in every moment of its work, people are involved who have need for space and visibility. From the network of virtuous producers which provide the raw materials for the training and employment of disadvantaged people and with fragility, everyone has a role in the life of the place. Pierluigi Monachetti, president of the La Formica social cooperative that manages the project, tells us more.
The social cooperative La Formica and the creation of Porta Pazienza
Born in Molise but Bolognese by adoption, before taking care of Porta Pazienza Monachetti was already active in the world of social cooperatives. “The ant was born in October 2016 alongside other city entities. In 2017, since a group of Neapolitan pizza chefs also worked with us, we decided Close the circle of our commitment also in the catering sector”, he explains to CiboToday referring to the initial La Fattoria di Masaniello, which took its current name in 2020.
At that moment the experiences of the IoLotto committee – active for the protection of the ‘land of fires’ – and those of the Arci La Fattoria club, founded in the Sixties in a Pilastro park to respond to the neighborhood’s need for aggregation and social cohesion. “They are our neighbors and among our founding members”, explains Monachetti, who today runs a beautiful place with large outdoor spaces surrounded by greenery with a team of 15 people. For lunch a trattoria and for dinner a pizzeria: here ingredients with many values are cooked.
The network of virtuous producers of Porta Pazienza
To contribute to the ambitious goal of “create an open, inclusive and supportive society”, Porta Pazienza begins from the moment of shopping. In addition to fruit and vegetables that are as local as possible, organic and from social agriculture projects, it is aimed at social cooperatives who work in detention centers or who work assets confiscated from the mafiaand, as well as to reality that they denounce the extortion.
There is coffee from the Lazzarelle roasting company in the Pozzuoli prison (currently unusable due to the seismic emergency, we talked about it here), the agricultural products of the Bolognese Local To You, those of the consortium of Caserta cooperatives NCO – Nuova Cooperazione Organita and the mozzarella from LiberaTerra buffalo, produced on reclaimed land. The wine also comes from Cantina Di Filippo, which in Umbria involves people on the autistic spectrum; while the water, however, is public water, filtered and served at no cost.
Training disadvantaged people and teaching a trade: the goal of Porta Pazienza
In collaboration with schools And social inclusion projects in BolognaPorta Pazienza includes in its staff resources And trainees with fragility of different types. “Everyone has their own story, whether we’re talking about autism, Down syndrome, physical problems or cognitive delays. Or of minor migrants who arrived unaccompanied”, explains Monachetti, “and for each one we think about the most suitable involvement”.
From kneading fresh pasta, “some have become very good at making cavatelli, which was difficult at the beginning”, to setting the tables accurately; from taking care of small tasks in the kitchen to serving in the dining room, “especially at lunchtime, when the situation is less hectic”. At the beginning the cooperative managed to absorb the kids into the team, “but now that we have many requests we focus on trainingto allow them to find work outside of here too”.
What you eat and how much you spend at Porta Pazienza
At lunch time the menu trattoria is variable: seasonal vegetables, meat and fish second courses and Bolognese classics. Like tagliatelle with ragù, which however are paired with specialties from other regions, because, as mentioned, people from all over Italy work behind the scenes at Porta Pazienza. The evening instead we focus on Pizzawith dough leavened for 72 hours, some fried food to start, and both classic (Margherita and Napoli, €7-8) and creative options.
Like La Pirandello, with smoked buffalo provola, baked potatoes, Casertana sausage and basil (€12.5). At the moment of the order you can make important choices: for example there is ‘La Pizza Grande’ – a combination of LiberaTerra buffalo and an ingredient of your choice – in which €1 goes to the Piazza Grande social cooperative in Bologna. Or thesuspended pizza‘, which, just like Neapolitan coffee, can be offered to someone who needs it, even if the person ordering doesn’t know it yet.
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