6 Days of Cotechino

Six days dedicated to the king of the Emilian table

In the heart of winter, when fog envelops the plain, the hamlet of Alberone, in the Municipality of Cento (Province of Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna), comes alive for two consecutive weekends in February. The 6 Giorni del Cotechino transforms the Alberonese Sports Centre into a large meeting point where the community and visitors sit down to honor a symbolic dish of peasant tradition: cotechino.

A tradition over a century old

The origin of the festival dates back to the early 1900s, when cotechino was served in an old village inn. Since then, the passion for this sausage has never waned. Cotechino itself has a very ancient history, which tradition traces back to the siege of Mirandola in 1515: a cook, to preserve the pork, minced it and stuffed it into the rind, giving birth to what is today one of the most typical products of the lower Modena and Ferrara areas.

In Alberone, this link with cotechino has even led to a world record: here, the world's largest cotechino was produced, measuring 137.50 meters long and weighing 485 kilograms, a record that speaks volumes about the depth of this gastronomic identity.

What to eat

The gastronomic stand, covered and heated, offers an extensive menu rooted in Emilian cuisine:

• Appetizers: polenta, mariconda, fried dumplings with local cured meats
• First courses: the house trio with truffle tortellini, garganelli of the festival, pumpkin tortelloni with ragù, and the special cotechino lasagna
• Main courses: Alberone cotechino, salamina da sugo with mashed potatoes, mixed grill, roasts, and cutlets (also with truffle)
• Side dishes: mashed potatoes, salad, and French fries
• Desserts: profiterol, tiramisu, mascarpone, zuppa inglese, sweet salami, artisanal Sangue di Giuda ring cake, and sorbet

A village atmosphere

More than just a festival, the 6 Giorni del Cotechino is a convivial event typical of the Ferrara province, where cuisine becomes a story of the territory and an occasion for meeting. The family atmosphere and the shelter of the heated stand make it an ideal destination even on cold winter Sundays, for a communal lunch.