Festival of the Caplaz of Coronella

The oldest cappellaccio festival in the Ferrara region

The Sagra dal Caplaz of Coronella, a small hamlet in the Municipality of Poggio Renatico in the province of Ferrara, is one of the most beloved and long-standing gastronomic events in Emilia-Romagna. Founded in the late eighties, it is considered the oldest festival dedicated to pumpkin cappellaccio, when this stuffed pasta was known only in the provinces of Ferrara and Mantua. Today, the Ferrara pumpkin cappellaccio is an IGP branded product, and Coronella remains one of its proudest custodians.

The protagonist: pumpkin cappellaccio

The "caplaz", in the Ferrara dialect, is the pumpkin cappellaccio: a raviolo with a characteristic hat shape, filled with pumpkin, Parmesan cheese, and nutmeg. To prepare the fresh pasta, volunteers from the Polisportiva knead thousands of eggs in each edition. On the table, the cappellaccio arrives in numerous variations: the classic tris di caplaz (with ragù, butter and sage, with guanciale and onion), the version with Parmesan foam, and special proposals dedicated to the Renaissance figures of the Este court, such as the Duchess and Lucrezia Borgia.

Emilian traditional cuisine

In addition to cappellacci, the gastronomic stand offers a wide menu rooted in the traditional peasant cuisine of the Ferrara region: tagliatelle with ragù, pappardelle with wild boar, stewed rabbit with polenta, mixed grill, sausage with mashed potatoes, tagliata and stracetti, with side dishes of fried potatoes and battered vegetables. To finish, traditional desserts such as brazadela with sweet wine, zabaglione, and tiramisu.

Popular festival atmosphere

The Sagra dal Caplaz is above all a village festival: free admission, long tables under the PalaCaplaz adjacent to the sports field, and every evening music and entertainment with live bands, dancing, and karaoke nights. The event is organized entirely by the Polisportiva Coronella, which has been animating the social and sports life of the hamlet for over fifty years, attracting visitors from all over the province of Ferrara and beyond regional borders.

When and where

The event traditionally takes place over two weekends straddling the end of August and the beginning of September, at the Polisportiva Coronella facilities, a few minutes from Poggio Renatico and easily accessible from the Ferrara, Bondeno, and Cento areas.