Cecapreti and Bufaletta Festival

A tradition documented since 1643

Few gastronomic events in Lazio can boast historical roots like the Cecapreti and Bufaletta Festival in Villa Santo Stefano. The festival descends from the ancient «Liberanza di Agosto», a custom recorded as early as 1643 in the municipal council minutes: during the first week of August, a plate of cecapreti had to be distributed to the population in the open air. A gesture of collective sharing that the local Pro Loco revived and transformed, starting in 1978, into one of the most authentic festivals in Ciociaria, reaching its 46th edition in 2026.

Cecapreti, the pasta of memory

Cecapreti—related to the better-known strozzapreti—are a simple pasta made only of water and flour, hand-worked according to the techniques passed down by the village housewives. It is the signature dish of Villa Santo Stefano: simple, firm, and linked to times when peasant cooking knew how to transform very few ingredients into a festive meal. During the festival, the cecapreti are prepared and distributed in large quantities, dressed with sauce, just as the centuries-old tradition dictates.

Bufaletta, the stew that smells of the valley

Alongside the pasta comes the bufaletta, a buffalo meat stew slow-cooked with seasonal vegetables. It is not a random pairing: the Amaseno Valley, which opens up right below the viewpoint of Villa Santo Stefano, is one of the buffalo lands of southern Lazio, famous for its mozzarella and the farms that dot the plain. Everything is accompanied by wines from the Frosinone territory, served during the summer evenings in the square.

An evening in Piazza Umberto I

The heart of the event is Piazza Umberto I, the village terrace overlooking the valley. Here, during a single great evening in early August, the distribution of traditional dishes, the market, and the musical entertainment that accompanies dinner until late at night are concentrated. Over the years, the festival has hosted tribute bands and folk groups: for the 2026 edition, the concert by «Come Max», an 883 tribute band, has been announced. Admission is free and the atmosphere is that of true village festivals, with Pro Loco volunteers at the stoves and families sitting at tables under the stars.

Villa Santo Stefano, a balcony over the Amaseno Valley

The municipality of Villa Santo Stefano, with just over a thousand inhabitants in the province of Frosinone, is a stone village nestled on the slopes of the Lepini Mountains, in the Lazio region. Its concentric alleys, churches, and viewpoints over the valley are worth a walk before dinner: the festival is also an opportunity to discover a corner of Ciociaria that has remained off the mass tourism routes, halfway between Frosinone and the sea of Terracina.

A festival supported by the territory

The event is organized by the Pro Loco Villa Santo Stefano APS with the collaboration and patronage of the Municipality and with the patronage and contribution of the Tourism Department of the Lazio Region. A collective effort that has allowed the festival to exceed forty years of modern history while keeping the spirit of the «Liberanza» intact: offering everyone, free of charge, the identity dish of the village.