Rocca Priora Arrosticini and Cellette Festival

A young festival for an ancient pasta

The Rocca Priora Arrosticini and Cellette Festival is one of the most recent gastronomic events in the town of Rocca Priora, located in the province of Rome, Lazio. The inaugural edition was held in July 2024, organized by the APS Promuoviamo Rocca Priora association, with the goal of bringing a traditional dish—prepared by local families for generations but long confined to home kitchens—back to the center of community life.

The star of the show is a dish with humble ingredients but rich in tradition: cellette. This pasta is made exclusively from water and flour, with no eggs, kneaded thoroughly on a wooden board and rolled by hand into long, thin strands. The irregular shape, impossible to replicate by machine, is the secret to their deliciousness: every fold captures the sauce, enhancing every bite.

Cellette and arrosticini: the gastronomic heart

At the Parco Dandini food stands, cellette are served in the versions most beloved by locals and visitors alike:

• Cellette with porcini mushrooms, a tribute to the bounty of the Rocca Priora woods
• Cellette with tomato sauce, prepared according to traditional rural recipes
• Cellette with tuna, a simple yet deeply rooted recipe in the Castelli Romani region

Accompanying the pasta are arrosticini, skewers of sheep meat cooked over coals in the traditional long grill (canala). This Abruzzese specialty has become a staple of Lazio festivals, filling the air with its irresistible aroma. The menu is rounded out by side dishes, fried snacks, and local Castelli Romani wines.

Evenings at Parco Dandini

The festival takes place at Parco Dandini, along Via della Pineta, a green space shaded by pine trees that keeps the July evenings pleasant. At 768 meters above sea level, Rocca Priora is the highest town in the Castelli Romani, offering a refreshing escape from the summer heat of the capital.

The food stands open every evening from 6:00 PM, with music taking center stage after dinner. The program focuses on cover bands and Italian popular music, featuring 60s-90s revival groups, blues and rock bands, tribute acts, and DJ sets designed to get all generations on the dance floor.

The setting: Rocca Priora and the Castelli Romani

Overlooking the Latin Valley and the Alban Hills, Rocca Priora is known as the balcony of Lazio for the panoramic views from its historic center. The town's summer calendar is vibrant, supported by two Pro Loco associations and various local groups. In late July, the town also hosts Serate sotto il Castello in the old village and children's activities like Estate al parco, while the autumn brings the famous Porcini Mushroom Festival. The cellette festival is part of this lively social fabric, where gastronomy is, above all, a way to bring people together.

Why it's worth the trip

For those coming from Rome, just over thirty kilometers away, the festival is a unique opportunity to taste a dish that is rarely found in city restaurants and exists almost exclusively here. Admission is free, you only pay for what you eat, and the atmosphere is that of a genuine village feast: long outdoor tables, volunteers in the kitchen, and music late into the night.