Ferrara Cappelletto Festival

The Capital of Cappelletto

In the heart of the Po Valley, in Vigarano Pieve, a hamlet of the Municipality of Vigarano Mainarda in the Province of Ferrara, a festival that has few equals in Italy is renewed every June: the Festa del Cappelletto Ferrarese, the only gastronomic festival in the country exclusively dedicated to this small treasure chest of stuffed egg pasta. Here, cappelletto is not just a side dish on the menu, but the true and sole protagonist, celebrated for five days with the care and pride of those who guard a family recipe.

A Tradition from Afar

The Ferrara cappelletto has its roots in the courtly tradition of the Este family. The first documented recipe for this preparation linked to Ferrara appeared as early as 1556, in the work of Cristoforo Messisbugo, a renowned court chef for Alfonso I d'Este. In Vigarano Pieve, this memory is still alive: the pasta is rolled by hand, the filling (the so-called batù) is prepared according to the handed-down recipe, and the flagship dish remains the cappelletto in capon broth, served steaming hot as is the Emilia-Romagna tradition.

What to Eat

The gastronomic stand offers a menu that revolves entirely around stuffed pasta, with some nods to other local specialties:

• Cappelletti in capon broth, the festival's signature dish
• The Tris del Cappelletto, three different tastings (truffle, cream, ragù)
• Pumpkin Cappellacci, also offered for vegetarians
• Appetizers with pinzin, the Ferrara fried dough
• Grilled meat and mutton ragù
• Traditional desserts: zuppa inglese, torta tenerina, and torta di tagliatelle

Accompanying the dishes is a zero-kilometre wine list from the local Mattarelli winery.

More Than Just Food

The festival is also a moment for community: during the evenings, you can attend homemade pasta workshops, where the committee's 'massaie' teach how to prepare the 'batù', roll the dough, and shape the cappelletti. It's a way to take home not just the memory of a meal, but a small piece of Emilia-Romagna culinary expertise.

An Attentive and Accessible Festival

Organised by the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul through the Comitato Pro Civitate, the festival takes place in a hall with about 200 seats, air-conditioned, soundproofed, and accessible, with ample adjacent parking. Since 2019, the festival has been plastic-free, with entirely compostable tableware and containers. Small pets are allowed, and the event is held in any weather condition. The Festa del Cappelletto Ferrarese is also the first chapter of a true Vigarano gastronomic trilogy, which continues with the Sagra dei SS. Pietro e Paolo and the Festa del Cappelletto d'Autunno.