The Filari company

A FERTILE LAND AND A NOBLE, AGE-OLD

A fertile land and a noble, age-old calling Sicily is truly a world apart: the island of myths at the centre of the Mediterranean,the historical land of conquests and the crossroads of peoples and cultures, native and foreign. These peoples have invigorated its territories for thousands of years, with coastal settlements in a sunny hinterland.

Proudly traditional, Sicily is a land where only recently have considerable knowledge and deep-rooted traditions been felicitously combined with innovative practices. These practices complement each other to express the virtues and calling of hard-working people and a rich eco-system, that is still uncontaminated.

This age-old bio-integrity lends itself to many quality products from nature, products that are organic, healthy and natural. They are unique and difficult to produce elsewhere …. a certain something well known to the local inhabitants, impossible to define, maybe a type of ‘Sicilianness’.

In the heart of central-western Sicily in the Belìce river valley, opposite the Rocca di Entella mpintain, lies the estate of the Benanti family. Here, the Filari Della Rocca farm was born in an idyllic natural setting, among expanses of wheat and dense woodland in a fertile hilly terrain. It is framed by the two archaeological sites and the nature reserves of Adranone and Calatamauro.

A long history of passion and respect for the land

With over forty years’ experience in the field, thefield, the Benanti farmhas directed its activities exclusively to organic farming. And thanks to the enthusiasm and extraordinary skills acquired by the current generation of managers, the Benanti farm has adoptedinnovative processes, which have unlocked the commercial potential and appeal of its products. The farm guarantees that its products are wholesome and natural, a fact which is recognised, appreciated and proudly exported worldwide.

Sicily, a mythical land, kissed by the sun and cradled by the sea.

The land

The land surrounding Contessa Entellina is mountainous with woodlands and tracts of water. It lies on the southern edge of the province of Palermo in the hinterland of central Sicily. This area contains some of the oldest Greek-Albanian settlements in Italy.

Together with Piana degli Albanesi, Santa Cristina Gela, Mezzojuso and Palazzo Adriano, Contessa Entellina is distinguished by its cultural identity and traditions, by the Arbëresh language spoken by its inhabitants and by its religious Byzantine rites.

The origins of the five Greek-Byzantine municipalities of Contessa Entellina, Piana degli Albanesi, Santa Cristina Gela, Mezzojuso and Palazzo Adriano date back to an event that took place in around 1450, namely the arrival of a group of Albanian exiles. They left their native lands to escape the Ottoman invasion, settled peacefully all over the island of Sicily, maintaining over the centuries the cult of the Greek Orthodox church and the traditions and the language of their country of origin.

Contessa Entellina is, therefore, a very special town, where two age-old cultures coexist, the Sicilian and the Greek Orthodox. Both have characteristics that integrate and complement each other, giving rise to the wonderful fruits of multiculturalism. A striking example of this is its renowned and flavoursome local cuisine, which owes its extraordinary intensity of aromas, flavours and… unmistakable identity to local produce (or 0 food miles products).