Maccheroni a Fezze Festival in Rocca Sinibalda

A festival born from the humble cuisine of Sabina

The Maccheroni a Fezze Festival is one of the most cherished summer events in Rocca Sinibalda, a small town in the province of Rieti, in the heart of the Lazio region's Sabina area. The event is organized by the Pro Loco of Rocca Sinibalda and takes place in the historic center, at the foot of the famous Sforza Cesarini Castle, just over fifty kilometers from Rome.

The absolute star is a traditional peasant dish: a simple dough of flour and water, enriched with an egg, kneaded and rolled into long strands that are gathered into skeins. The name comes from this: in the local Sabina dialect, a skein is called a fezza, as the coiled pasta resembles a bundle of yarn. In neighboring towns, the same dish goes by different names—maccheroni a matassa, jacculi, maccaruni a centinara—but in Rocca Sinibalda, as in Belmonte and Montenero, they remain maccheroni a fezze.

How they are prepared

Preparation is still entrusted to the local women, who hand-roll the pasta in the hours leading up to the festival: this, more than anything else, ensures the quality of the evening. In the past, the pasta was drained and poured directly onto a wooden board, dressed with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and marjoram, and eaten by the family around a single table. Today, the food stall offers them in a festive version with sausage sauce and local pecorino, while those who do not eat meat can choose the basil-based seasoning.

More than just food

The festival goes beyond the plate. During the day, the village hosts an outdoor painting competition open to artists of all ages and levels, who paint en plein air among the alleys, stairways, and views of the Turano Valley: a simple way to bring the village to life during the day and leave visitors with a memory beyond the usual photograph. In the evening, after the stalls open, live music takes over with concerts and performances by artists from the Rieti area.

The village and its castle

Rocca Sinibalda is worth arriving early for. The castle, built in 1084 and transformed into a fortified residence in the 1530s based on a design by Baldassarre Peruzzi for Cardinal Alessandro Cesarini, dominates the town with its unmistakable silhouette, often described as an eagle with its wings spread. Surrounding it, the Sabina region offers olive groves, hiking trails, and the Turano Lake, just a few minutes' drive away.

Why you should go

• A rare dish, found almost exclusively in this part of the Lazio Region and almost only during local festivals.
• A community-scale event, without excessive crowds and with affordable prices.
• The painting competition, which makes the festival interesting even for those arriving in the afternoon.
• The chance to combine the evening with a visit to the castle and a walk in the Turano Valley.

A summer staple

The festival is traditionally held in August, on a Saturday, and is part of the Pro Loco's summer calendar, which offers other gastronomic and popular events in the village throughout the year. To find out the exact date and program, it is best to follow the Pro Loco's social media channels, which publish the event poster in the weeks leading up to the festival.