Cecamariti che Passione – Winter Edition

A humble pasta that became a village identity

Cecamariti is the signature pasta of Rocca Canterano, a village in the Monti Ruffi mountains near Rome, in the Lazio region. This simple pasta is handmade using wheat and corn flour mixed only with water—no eggs, no fats—a perfect example of peasant cuisine that created so much from so little. Over the years, the village has turned this survival recipe into a true hallmark, dedicating a festival to it that now features both summer and winter editions.

Cecamariti che Passione – Winter Edition

The Winter Edition is the chilly-weather version of the festival, held in early January while the village is still decked out for the holidays and the Epiphany is just around the corner. The highlight of the event is tasting the cecamariti in two versions: the traditional grandmother's recipe and a more contemporary take, allowing visitors to experience the contrast between memory and culinary experimentation.

This is not just a standard food festival with long tables; the Municipality of Rocca Canterano has opted for a wandering gastronomic trail. Visitors stroll through the historic center, stopping at stalls set up in collaboration with local producers, sampling dishes along the way while accompanied by live music, magic shows, and street food. It is a clever way to explore the village: as you eat, you traverse alleys, staircases, and small squares that would otherwise remain off the beaten tourist path.

Alongside La Rocca delle Streghe

The Winter Edition doesn't stand alone. The same days host La Rocca delle Streghe (The Fortress of Witches), an event that transforms the village into a Christmas-themed journey where—as the official presentation states—alleys, houses, and cellars become rooms of legend. Visitors encounter the Befana, uncover the secrets of witches, and venture into the bandits' hideout. The combination works perfectly: the fairytale theme attracts families with children, the gastronomic trail keeps the adults engaged, and the village comes alive for two full days.

What to expect

• Food stalls open on both Saturday and Sunday starting at noon.
• Two versions of cecamariti, the traditional and the revisited, as the signature dish of the trail.
• Wandering tastings in collaboration with local producers, spread throughout the historic center.
• Music, magic, and street food providing the soundtrack and atmosphere for your stroll.
• La Rocca delle Streghe running concurrently, featuring the Befana, witches, and the bandits' hideout.

Rocca Canterano, a village of fewer than two hundred inhabitants

Rocca Canterano has very few permanent residents and sits at an altitude of just over seven hundred meters, overlooking the Aniene Valley. It is a territory that has made its unique gastronomy a key driver for promotion: beyond cecamariti, the village is known for the Sagra della Rola e Festa del Cornuto, an autumn event dedicated to chestnuts and traditional pranks. Local legend says that after the fortresses were built, the workers, finding themselves without women, went to look for them in the nearby towns of Canterano and Cerreto; this story supposedly gave rise to a reconciliation festival linked to the very pasta called cecamariti.

Why it's worth the trip

Those who arrive in January will find a free, authentic, and village-scale event, far removed from the crowded, large-scale festivals on the outskirts of Rome. You eat well, spend little, walk through a well-kept historic center, and take home the knowledge of a product rarely found elsewhere. For those visiting the interior of Lazio in winter, when the event calendar is sparse, it is one of the few opportunities to see a Monti Ruffi village truly buzzing with life.