Caciocavallo, Cicatiell e Acc' Festival

A taste celebration in the highest town in Puglia

The Caciocavallo, Cicatiell e Acc' Festival is one of the most anticipated culinary events in the Foggia hinterland. It takes place every year on August 13th in Monteleone di Puglia, a small village in the Monti Dauni known for being the highest town in Puglia, in the province of Foggia. The event brings the central Piazza Municipio to life, filling it on the eve of Ferragosto with thousands of people arriving from across the Capitanata region and beyond.

The stars: caciocavallo, cicatiell e acc'

The true king of the festival is caciocavallo, a cheese with a long gastronomic tradition, still handcrafted in local dairies. Made from whole cow's milk obtained from two daily milkings, its quality is owed to the purity of the raw materials and the livestock's diet of Mediterranean grasses.

Alongside the cheese, the festival celebrates cicatiell e acc', a dish deeply rooted in local peasant cuisine: it is a short pasta made of water and flour, boiled in celery-infused water (the "acc'") and then dressed with a simple sauce of tomato, garlic, and oil. A humble yet characterful dish that tells the story and identity of this corner of Puglia.

Music, wine, and conviviality

Tastings of local products are accompanied by fine local wine and live music, with popular bands and artists enlivening the square until late at night. The atmosphere is typical of great village festivals: long outdoor tables, the scent of roasted cheese, and traditional songs and dances. The event is organized by the Municipal Administration in collaboration with the Pro Loco of Monteleone di Puglia.

A village to discover

Visiting the festival is also an opportunity to explore Monteleone di Puglia and its surroundings. Nearby lies the Bosco Selvamala, the site where, in 1142, one of the first written constitutions of Southern Italy was allegedly promulgated. The village's elevated position offers fresh air and panoramic views of the Monti Dauni, making the mid-August evening particularly pleasant. Founded in 1983 on the initiative of the then-municipal administration, the festival has grown year after year to become a defining event for the entire community.