There is a slender thread connecting a spoonful of egg yolk beaten with sugar, a steaming bowl of flour-and-mountain-butter gnocchi, and a wheel of aged cheese tucked into the train bag on the way home. This is not a set menu — it is the grammar of the Verona territory: three distinct voices that seasoned visitors keep carefully apart, and first-timers risk collapsing into one vague category called "local specialities". This article distinguishes them, one by one.
What is sbatudin and where to find it in the Venetian tradition
Sbatudin is a restorative sweet from the Venetian tradition, made by vigorously beating egg yolk with sugar until a pale, frothy cream forms. It originates from an old recipe based on eggs, sugar and Marsala wine, suited equally as a dessert or a breakfast. The name refers to the very act of beating — sbattere — the egg yolk energetically with the sugar.
This is not a dish for starred restaurants: it is the kind of thing a Veronese or Trevisan grandmother would prepare on a Sunday morning, or after a long evening, as a sweet and nourishing remedy. Humble in origin yet full of flavour, it is a staple of the region's gastronomic tradition, capable of stirring fond childhood memories in countless Venetians. Those who look for it in Verona today will find it at farmers' markets and in a handful of pastry shops in the historic centre — not in every bar, which makes tracking it down part of the experience. In certain establishments in Veronetta and Borgo Trento, old-school baristas still prepare it on request, often with Marsala or rum. Simply asking is already half the experience.
A trip to Lessinia: gnocchi sbatui from the mountain dairy farms and what to bring home
Twenty-five kilometres from the centre of Verona, the Parco Naturale Regionale della Lessinia is one of the best-kept secrets of the city of the Scaligeri. It offers remarkably varied landscapes in a pre-Alpine setting close to Verona, with a succession of high pastures, gentle mountains and hills carved by deep valleys. In summer you walk among the malghe; in autumn you listen to the bellow of the deer. From 20 July 2025, Camminaparco returned — the programme of free guided hikes promoted by the Park to showcase the mountain territory in all its facets: nature, culture, rural life and wildlife. This year Camminaparco marks its 25th anniversary and confirms itself as one of the most anticipated events among hikers and lovers of Lessinia.
The dish to order the moment you sit down at a malga is one only: gnocchi sbatui. The name derives from the beating — sbattitura — of the dough, a step that gives it greater consistency. They are made from just a few ingredients: soft wheat flour, water heated to 75°C, and salt to taste. Once cooked, they are dressed with butter and a blend of grated grana cheese and aged Monte Veronese. By Ministerial Decree of 25 February 2022, this dish — modest in its ingredients yet extraordinarily good and representative of the territory — was finally given a nationally recognised name: "Gnocchi della Lessinia".
After the dish comes the real artisan souvenir. Monte Veronese DOP is the emblematic cheese of this territory. A cornerstone of the dairy tradition of the fertile Lessinia pastures, it appears to have origins dating back to the Middle Ages; the production technique was refined with the arrival of the Cimbri, the people of Bavarian origin who settled in Lessinia. There are three main types: whole milk, d'allievo and aged, each with distinct flavours and production methods. The Vecchio and the Stravecchio are the ones to bring home: the Vecchio is aged for more than 12 months, with a bold flavour and a peppery finish that intensifies as seasoning progresses; the Stravecchio exceeds 24 months, with a hard paste that rewards slow chewing.
To buy it directly in Lessinia, Bottega Terracimbra in Piazza Marconi 18 in Bosco Chiesanuova is an excellent stop for lovers of local products, particularly DOP dairy and cured meats. In Verona city, La Botteghetta is located in Via Leoncino 31, a few steps from the Arena. For those who prefer to order online or have items shipped, the shop Buona Lessinia in Via Colonnello Giovanni Fincato 39/B specialises in typical Lessinia products: cured meats, cheeses, prepared foods, oil, wines, honey and sweets.
Where to eat gnocchi sbatui in Lessinia?
Gnocchi sbatui can be enjoyed at all the restaurants, malghe and local food festivals of the Lessinia. Bosco Chiesanuova and Erbezzo are the best-equipped centres, reachable by car from Verona in around 40 minutes along the SP6.
When to visit Lessinia in 2026?
The Camminaparco calendar extends through to 22 March 2026, with itineraries crossing malghe, hamlets, mountain refuges and the landscapes of the protected area. In summer (June–September) the pastures are open and the malghe in full activity; in autumn the chestnut and beech forests make the trails particularly photogenic.
What to bring as a food souvenir from Verona?
A piece of Monte Veronese Vecchio or Stravecchio, bought directly from a malga or from one of the historic centre's specialist shops, is the food souvenir that Veronese people give each other. In Lessinia you can also find chestnuts, walnuts, truffles, honey, mountain saffron and typical meats such as brogna lamb and grisa chicken. All in a single out-of-town stop that is well worth the detour from the Scaligeri city.
If you are planning a stay in Verona and want a comfortable base for reaching both Lessinia and the historic centre, discover the apartments at The Verona Stay near the Arena and the Teatro Ristori: setting off in the morning towards the mountains and returning in the evening to Piazza Bra is exactly the right rhythm.