Ancient Festival of the Rufioi of Costeggiola

The rufiolo, sweet symbol of Costeggiola

The Ancient Festival of the Rufioi is held in Costeggiola, a hamlet of Soave in the province of Verona, and celebrates a dessert from peasant tradition: the rufiolo. It is a sort of sweet raviolo drawn on a half-moon of dough, shaped like a rising sun or a rooster's comb. The filling is rich and fragrant: amaretti, dried grapes, breadcrumbs, meat broth, candied citrus peel, almonds, sugar, eggs, pine nuts, rum, and nutmeg, enclosed in a dough of flour, eggs, milk, and salt. Since 2004, the rufiolo of Costeggiola has been recognized as a traditional agri-food product.

An ultracentenarian festival

With a history of over a hundred years, the festival is one of the most deeply rooted winter events in the Soave area. It takes place in a heated marquee in Piazza Salvo D'Acquisto, where the kitchens offer the rufiolo alongside local specialties and the fine wines of Soave. The event is organized by the Pro Loco Soave together with the Amici di Costeggiola Association, under the patronage of the Municipalities of Soave and Cazzano di Tramigna and with the support of the Strada del Vino Soave.

Between taste, music, and tradition

In addition to tasting the rufiolo, the program includes musical evenings (pop, dance, concerts), the blessing of animals, a charity raffle, and the eagerly awaited competition for the best homemade rufioi, which sees the village cooks compete. A festival that combines gluttony, devotion, and sociality, preserving a recipe that is the identity heritage of Costeggiola and the entire Soave territory.