Gnocchi al Castrato Festival

An evening with the scent of Sabina

The Gnocchi al Castrato Festival takes place in Casali di Poggio Nativo, a hamlet of the municipality of Poggio Nativo in the province of Rieti, Lazio. It is not an isolated event; it is one of the highlights of the Sant'Anna Festival, the long summer celebration that has brought the village to life for nearly half a century, spanning about ten days between the second half and the end of July. Along with the Fregnacce Festival, the gnocchi festival represents the most iconic and popular gastronomic moment of the event.

The dish: handmade gnocchi and castrato sauce

The undisputed star is the castrato sauce, a slow-cooked mutton ragù that, in Sabina cuisine and throughout the central Apennines, serves as a direct link to the history of transhumance and pastoral farming. Simmered for hours with tomatoes, wine, and herbs, it is served over gnocchi handmade by the volunteers of the Committee. It is a hearty, flavorful dish meant to be enjoyed outdoors in good company: the festival is not a tourist showcase, but a village kitchen opening its tables to everyone.

Edition after edition, since 1999

The event has now surpassed its twenty-seventh edition: the 26th took place in 2024, and the 27th in 2025, as part of the 47th Sant'Anna Festival. This is a rare continuity for a village of only a few hundred inhabitants, made possible by the volunteer work of the Comitato Casali di Poggio Nativo, which every summer organizes food stalls, concerts, card tournaments, sports events, and a grand fireworks finale.

More than just food: music and village festivities

After dinner, which usually begins around 8:00 PM, the evening continues with live music in the square. In recent years, local cover bands have kept multiple generations singing and dancing late into the night. The format is that of a classic Italian patronal feast, where the stage is just a few meters from the dining tables, creating a seamless connection between the performers and the community.

• Where: Casali hamlet, Poggio Nativo (RI), Sabina
• When: As part of the Sant'Anna Festival, second half of July
• Signature dish: Handmade gnocchi with castrato sauce
• Extras: Live music, tournaments, fireworks to close the festival

Poggio Nativo and the Sabina region worth visiting

Poggio Nativo sits on a rocky spur overlooking the Farfa Valley, about 57 kilometers from Rome. The village preserves its medieval herringbone layout, with narrow, stepped alleys, a 16th-century gate, and a fortress at the opposite end of the town. The church of the Santissima Annunziata and the monastic complex of San Paolo, founded in the mid-14th century with its inlaid wooden choir and 17th-century altarpiece, are well worth a visit. Nearby lies Santacittarama, the first Theravada Buddhist monastery in Italy, open to visitors since 1990.

The area is known for its Sabina DOP extra virgin olive oil and cherries; a visit to the festival can easily be combined with purchasing local products and exploring the villages of the Rieti Sabina. The Battifratta cave, a prehistoric site frequented since the Middle Paleolithic, has yielded a 7,000-year-old clay Neolithic figurine, testifying to the ancient human presence in these hills.

Why it's worth going

Those looking for an authentic festival, not built for mass tourism, will find exactly that here: affordable prices, generous portions, a dish not easily found elsewhere, and a community that spends days in the kitchen. It is also a great way to discover Sabina in the summer, when the evenings cool down and the villages fill with people until late at night.