Cuddrireddra and PGI Peach Festival of Delia

A festival for two Delia excellences

The Cuddrireddra and PGI Peach Festival of Delia is the annual summer event that brings the small village of Delia, in the province of Caltanissetta, together to celebrate two iconic local products. During the event, the heart of the town, specifically Piazza Madrice, transforms into a vibrant festival space where flavors, music, and folk traditions meet.

The cuddrireddra, a Slow Food Presidium pastry

The absolute star is the cuddrireddra, a traditional pastry from Delia that has become a Slow Food Presidium. Its name is thought to derive from the Greek kollura, meaning crown or ring, and its crown shape traditionally pays homage to the noblewomen who lived in the village's ancient medieval fortress. It is made with flour, eggs, red wine, sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest, hand-worked on a characteristic wooden comb to give it its typical ridges, then fried in extra virgin olive oil. This long, manual process makes it unique compared to the many fried ring pastries found throughout Southern Italy.

The PGI Peach of Delia

Alongside the pastry, the festival highlights the PGI Peach of Delia, a protected fruit with white or yellow flesh, known for its sweet and intense flavor, grown in the local countryside in various seasonal varieties. At the stalls, visitors can taste and purchase the peaches along with other local products and traditional handicrafts.

Program and atmosphere

The event features food stalls serving cuddrireddre and local specialties, craft markets, performances by folk groups, musical shows, and entertainment during the closing evenings, as well as workshops for children and guided tours to discover the village. The initiative, promoted by the municipal administration of Delia in collaboration with local associations, is part of a broader calendar of summer events that brings the town to life in August.

Delia, a village in central Sicily

Nestled among the hills of the province of Caltanissetta, in Sicily, Delia is a small inland town dominated by the ruins of its castle. For the community, the festival is an occasion for celebration and identity pride, capable of attracting visitors from neighboring towns and keeping alive the memory of artisanal knowledge passed down from generation to generation.