Fagiolata Bean Festival

The Fagiolata, a tradition of the Canavese Carnival

In the small village of Baldissero Canavese, located in the Metropolitan City of Turin, there is a winter day when the entire town gathers in Piazza della Chiesa: it is the Fagiolata, a festival of beans and pork rinds organized by the Pro Loco Tourist Association. It is one of those simple, festive occasions that have marked the calendar of Canavese communities for generations, deeply rooted in the Carnival period and the popular cuisine of these lands.

Beans and pork rinds, the Carnival peasant dish

The Fagiolata has its roots in a very practical farming custom: during the lean period preceding Lent, people would indulge in the fattest and most flavorful meats saved throughout the year during the Carnival days. This gave rise to the festival's signature dish, the so-called faseuj gras: beans slow-cooked with pork rinds, lard, and cured meats, a preparation that still characterizes many Piedmontese carnivals today, from Ivrea to Santhià.

In Baldissero, the morning begins with the biting cold of February days in the Canavese; then, under the large cauldrons, the fire grows livelier, and the pleasant bubbling of the beans announces that the cooking is nearing its end. It is the signal that the festivities can begin.

A day in Piazza della Chiesa

The heart of the Fagiolata is the distribution in the square: after Holy Mass and the blessing of the beans, Pro Loco volunteers serve a generous portion of beans and pork rinds to everyone present. It is a moment of great conviviality, where residents and visitors find themselves side by side, warmed by the fire of the cauldrons and the steaming dish.

The beans of Baldissero are well-regarded throughout the Canavese, and this festival is the perfect opportunity to taste them according to the traditional recipe, in an authentic, no-frills setting. More than a spectacular fair, the Fagiolata is a village festival in the most genuine sense: few ceremonies, plenty of substance, and that sense of belonging that only popular traditions can convey.

Why it is worth attending

• An authentic gastronomic tradition of the Canavese, far from mass tourism circuits
• A historic dish of the Piedmontese Carnival served according to the local recipe
• The warm and convivial atmosphere of a small community celebrating
• The chance to discover a village in the Province of Turin nestled in the Canavese hills