Nonno Alberto, the Recipe for Love and Potato Pie

Today we’re in Salento, between Taviano and Nardò, at nonno Alberto’s home. We find him in the garden, busy tending to his plants. He’s doing a bit of maintenance, with his usual care and quiet pride. He offers us a strawberry — sweet, sun-warmed — and tells us how the land still has so much to teach the younger generations. He moves slowly, with thoughtful gestures, and as soon as he starts speaking, we realize he’s not your average grandfather: his mind is sharp, his words precise and warm. He’s cultured, curious, articulate; the kind of person you could listen to for hours. He says he doesn’t care about being famous, but truth be told, he has everything it takes. And maybe he already is, in the eyes that matter most: his family, his grandchildren, and anyone who has the pleasure of spending time with him.

After the garden, we head to his trusted greengrocer Andrea. They greet each other the way people do in the South: with jokes, warmth, and familiarity. Together we choose the best vegetables for the dish we’ll be cooking later. Back home, we’re welcomed by the scent of good things and the hiss of the moka pot on the stove. Alberto puts on his apron,a gift from his grandchildren, embroidered with the words: “Today I thought I’d cook this recipe.” He laughs as he shows it to us, while his wife ties it gently behind his back. She prefers to stay off camera, but her presence is everywhere. He tells us it was his grandchildren who signed him up for Instagram, and since then nonno Alberto has become a bit of an online sensation. “I want to be more famous than they are,” he jokes. But when we see how they look at him — with admiration, pride, and so much love — we know he already is. He’s the grandfather everyone wishes they had.

After the garden, we head to his trusted greengrocer Andrea. They greet each other the way people do in the South: with jokes, warmth, and familiarity. Together we choose the best vegetables for the dish we’ll be cooking later. Back home, we’re welcomed by the scent of good things and the hiss of the moka pot on the stove. Alberto puts on his apron,a gift from his grandchildren, embroidered with the words: “Today I thought I’d cook this recipe.” He laughs as he shows it to us, while his wife ties it gently behind his back. She prefers to stay off camera, but her presence is everywhere. He tells us it was his grandchildren who signed him up for Instagram, and since then nonno Alberto has become a bit of an online sensation. “I want to be more famous than they are,” he jokes. But when we see how they look at him — with admiration, pride, and so much love — we know he already is. He’s the grandfather everyone wishes they had.

We start preparing “Pitta di patate”, a savory potato pie that tastes like home and Sunday lunches.
Before we dive into the steps, here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Ingredients (for a medium-sized baking dish, serves 4–6)

• 2.2 lbs potatoes (boiled, peeled, and mashed using a potato ricer — about 4–5 medium potatoes)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano cheese
• 1 small bunch fresh mint (about 2 tablespoons, finely chopped)
• 1 medium onion (finely diced)
• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (halved)
• 5 oz sliced cooked ham
• 7 oz semi-aged cheese like scamorza (or provolone, sliced — will melt during baking)
• ½ cup pitted black olives (halved)
  ⅓ cup breadcrumbs (for the top crust, more if needed)
• 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a pan, we sauté the onion with olive oil, then add the tomatoes for a quick, fragrant sauce. Meanwhile, we mix the mashed potatoes with the eggs, Parmigiano, chopped mint, salt and pepper. In a baking dish, we layer the seasoned potato mixture as a base, followed by the tomato sauce, slices of ham, scamorza cheese, and black olives. Then another layer of potatoes, a sprinkle of breadcrumbs to create a crispy crust, a generous drizzle of olive oil and into the oven it goes, at 180°C (350°F) for about 40 minutes. The scent quickly fills the house, and we already know we’ll have a hard time waiting.

While the pitta bakes, we move to the living room, and that’s when Alberto starts telling us a story. We travel back to his younger days. He worked as a barber in Turin starting in 1953, never taking a single vacation since 1960. But one summer, he finally returns to his hometown for a short break. That’s where he sees her: a girl in a red floral dress, a look, and he knows. It’s her. The one. Back in Turin, he writes her a letter every single day for a year and a half. When he returns to the South for good, they get married. He tells the story with the calm elegance of another era, and then smiles: “If I could live it all again, I’d do it the same way. With the same person. Love changes, transforms, but it stays. Now it’s love for our children, for our grandchildren. But it’s still love.”

By now, the scent of pitta has filled the air. We take it out of the oven, and soon the daughters and grandkids join us. The table fills up, voices rise, there’s laughter, tasting, and toasting. It’s one of those seemingly ordinary moments that somehow stay with you forever. Alberto slices the pitta, pours the wine, and soaks in the joy. And we — here to film, listen, and learn — can’t help but wish that whoever is reading this could be here with us, sitting at that table, feeling what we feel.

This is the beauty of Nonna Wisdom: not just collecting recipes or traditions, but truly living them. Stepping into homes, gardens, kitchens and hearts to capture memories you don’t want to forget. Every encounter teaches us something. Every dish becomes a way to celebrate life. And each time we leave, we feel it deeply: we are exactly where we’re meant to be.