Ravioliamo

A festival born from homemade pasta

Ravioliamo is the spring gastronomic highlight of the Municipality of Forano, a village in the Lower Sabina area of the Rieti province, in the Lazio region. The event is promoted by the Comitato delle Feste Agostane, the same group of volunteers that brings the town to life in August with the patronal celebrations of Saint Bartholomew, the historic Pasta Festival, and other traditional Forano evenings. With Ravioliamo, the committee chose to kick off the festival season by bringing a dish to the table that is still prepared in Sabina homes by rolling out the dough with a wooden rolling pin.

Ravioli in three versions

The heart of the event is the handmade egg pasta, crafted by the committee's volunteers in the days leading up to the festival. The menu revolves around three different types of ravioli, designed to showcase both home-style cooking and a more contemporary take on fillings:

• Meat ravioli with tomato and basil, the most classic version rooted in family tradition;
• Creamy ricotta and mascarpone ravioli with sausage, cherry tomatoes, and crunchy crumble;
• Potato and sausage ravioli with peas and crispy guanciale, echoing the flavors of the Lazio hinterland.

Service takes place at the stalls set up on Via del Passeggio, opening at midday and continuing throughout the afternoon: guests eat at outdoor tables, maintaining the simple and convivial atmosphere of a traditional village festival.

Music and atmosphere

The gastronomic experience is complemented by live musical entertainment: in past editions, lunch was accompanied by the sounds of the Nice and Easy band, with a light repertoire suitable for all ages. The atmosphere is typical of Sabina festivals, where the shared table is just as important as the meal, and where families, groups of friends, and passing visitors mingle without formality.

Forano and the Sabina region

Forano is a small hilltop village overlooking the Tiber Valley, an independent municipality since the 13th century and later a fiefdom of noble families like the Savelli and Strozzi. It is located just a few kilometers from the Via Salaria and the railway line connecting Rome to Rieti, in an area best known for its Sabina extra virgin olive oil, one of the oldest in Italy. Visiting Forano during Ravioliamo is the perfect opportunity to combine lunch with a discovery of the historic center, the village churches, and the landscape of olive groves sloping down toward the river, with the silhouette of Mount Soratte on the horizon.

Why it is worth visiting

• Fresh pasta hand-rolled by volunteers, not industrial;
• Affordable prices, typical of village festivals in the Rieti province;
• Intimate and family-friendly format, suitable for those traveling with children;
• An excellent opportunity for a day trip from Rome, just over an hour away.

Ravioliamo confirms itself as one of the most successful small gastronomic festivals in the Lower Sabina: no spectacular scenery, just artisanal work that you can truly taste on your plate.