Great Festival of Capunsel

The Great Festival of Capunsel

The Great Festival of Capunsel is the gastronomic event that celebrates the symbolic dish of Alto Mantovano, the capunsel, in Solferino (Province of Mantua) every early July. The event is organized by the Confraternita del Capunsel of Solferino, an association founded in 2004 with the aim of promoting and preserving this specialty of local peasant tradition.

What is Capunsel

Capunsel is a rustic handmade pasta, similar to a small bread gnocchi, flavored with cheese, spices, and nutmeg, and served in the classic version with melted butter and sage. The variation that characterizes Solferino and Alto Mantovano is distinguished by the presence of crumbled amaretti in the dough, which give the dish a delicate sweet flavor. Capunsel is protected by a specific decree and is recognized as a Traditional Agri-food Product (PAT).

The Festival

During the festival, the center of Solferino comes alive with long outdoor tables, where freshly drained capunséi are enjoyed along with traditional main courses, typical desserts, and a good selection of local wines. The festival is completed by live music, activities for children, and evening shows, in an atmosphere of joy and conviviality.

Between History and Morainic Hills

Solferino, famous in history for the battle of 1859, is also a village nestled in the gentle morainic hills south of Lake Garda, in Lombardy. The Great Festival of Capunsel is the perfect opportunity to discover its gastronomic side and to savor a dish that tells centuries of Mantuan peasant culture.