Biella's Capunet a dish to discover
The Capunet of vegetables from Biella are a rich traditional dish.
Biella has great cuisine with an ancient tradition, but it's not well-known.
It's not Michelin-starred, and it lacks dishes that are national symbols like other areas in Piedmont. Also, Biella is less touristy, so fewer people visit, and there's less storytelling. That's why it stays a bit in the background, more due to visibility than value.
In the city, you find a bit of everything, from sushi to ramen to traditional food. But in the valleys and up the mountains, you find the most typical Biellese cuisine: authentic and not tailored for tourists.
Think of polenta concia: simple, but when done right, it's delicious in any season. Or the local cured meats, less famous than those from Langhe and Monferrato, but often high quality. The cheeses also have a distinct character, especially the mountain ones.
Another striking aspect is the value for money. Compared to more popular areas in Piedmont, in Biella, you eat well without spending much: two people can eat really well for 50 euros. This greatly enhances the overall experience.
There's another thing you'll notice when dining here: restaurants don't try to do everything. They often focus on a few dishes, but they do them well.
A concrete example is capunet. They use cabbage when it's at its best, between late winter and early spring. These are rolls with mixed fillings, also called "little fish" because of their long shape.
They started as a way to use leftovers. Sunday meat scraps were mixed with stale bread, cheese, or eggs. It was a clever way to avoid waste but keep the flavor.
In some areas, they add rice. Or they go from pan to oven with a light gratin.
The name caponèt (or capunèt) is likely a diminutive of capon. It's an ironic way to give dignity to a humble dish.
I ate them in Graglia, a small town in the mountains above Biella. Many know it for Lauretana water or the Sanctuary. But it's also a perfect starting point for trekking. After a hike, I stopped at Ristoro Rocchi: simple cooking, right portions, and capunet made just right.
I felt the same at Gribaud Osteria di Montagna, in the Oasi Zegna area. There, you're surrounded by the right setting: woods, trails, clean air. The cooking matches the place's rhythm. People are relaxed and pass that feeling to you. Few dishes, but well done, and again, the capunet are memorable.
