Homemade Ravioli al Plin Festival

A landmark festival of the Asti Langhe

The Homemade Ravioli al Plin Festival is one of the most beloved events on the Bormida Valley's culinary calendar. It takes place in Merana, a tiny municipality of about 180 inhabitants nestled on the left bank of the Bormida river, at the southern edge of the province of Alessandria, on the border between Piedmont and Liguria. Here, the local Pro Loco celebrates every year, during the second and third weekends of June, the dish that has made the village famous far beyond the valley's borders: the ravioli al plin, tiny ravioli sealed one by one with the characteristic "pinch" (in Piedmontese plin) of the fingers.

Ravioli al plin, an ancient tradition

Merana's ravioli are considered among the best in the Alessandria area. Their recipe, featuring deep yellow egg pasta and a filling of meat and garden vegetables, is rooted in the peasant cuisine of the Langhe and lower Monferrato—the same land of the plin that links Merana to Alba and Nizza Monferrato. In 2004, local enthusiasts revived the ancient recipe by creating a small artisanal workshop, and today that tradition comes alive every summer during the festival, just as the lavender fields around the village begin to bloom.

What to eat

The Pro Loco cooks and volunteers prepare hundreds of kilos of handmade ravioli al plin, the absolute stars of the menu. Alongside them, the food stand offers other festival specialties:

• Ravioli al plin made by hand according to the Merana recipe
• Fried frogs and fried calamari
• Grilled meat with side dishes
• Homemade desserts and a fine selection of local wines

Everything is served at tables under the shelter of the covered structure next to the parish church of Maria Ausiliatrice.

Music, dancing, and village atmosphere

Each evening is accompanied by a live orchestra for ballroom dancing, with free admission: it is the convivial heart of the festival, where different generations gather until late at night. The festival is also an opportunity to discover an authentic corner of the Asti Langhe: Merana is part of the picturesque Giro delle 5 Torri (5 Towers Tour) and houses the medieval Torre di San Fermo, which offers a wide panoramic view over the Bormida di Spigno Valley.