Sagra de li Piatti Nosci Festival

The Sagra de li Piatti Nosci in Castrignano del Capo

Every year, at the beginning of August, the Terra village of Castrignano del Capo comes alive with the Sagra de li Piatti Nosci, one of the most beloved gastronomic events in the Capo di Leuca area. The name, in the local Salento dialect, means "our dishes": a tribute to the peasant cuisine of the farming tradition, made of simple, genuine, and zero-mile ingredients. The festival takes place among the alleys and courtyards of the historic center, in an intimate and convivial atmosphere that transforms the entire village into a large open-air dining room.

Traditional dishes

The heart of the festival is the menu, entirely inspired by the Salento gastronomy of the past. Among the specialties you can taste while strolling through the village streets:

• Orecchiette and maccheroncini with tomato sauce, strong ricotta, and turnip tops;
• Grilled meats: capocollo, sausage, and the traditional gnummareddhi (offal rolls);
• Fava bean purée, fava beans, and peas cooked slowly in a terracotta pignata;
• Wild vegetables, eggplant parmigiana, pittica, and potato pie;
• Bruschetta, frittelle, fried fish, and octopus;
• Everything seasoned with local extra virgin olive oil.

Every dish tells the story of local families, carefully prepared by the volunteers who bring the event to life.

Music, pizzica, and village atmosphere

The evening is accompanied by live musical performances dedicated to local folklore: pizzica and the rhythms of the Salento tradition provide the soundtrack, with local folk groups such as I Briganti di Terra d'Otranto and AriaCorte having enlivened the village streets over the years. The music, dancing, and aromas of the kitchen create an authentic experience, highly appreciated by both locals and tourists vacationing along the Ionian coast of Salento.

A popular and charitable event

The Sagra de li Piatti Nosci has been organized since 2014 by the Associazione Culturale 2000, in collaboration with the local community and the parish of San Michele Arcangelo. The event has a strong charitable vocation: the proceeds are donated to projects for the common good. Particular attention is also paid to reducing the environmental impact, with organizational choices designed to limit waste.

Castrignano del Capo and the Capo di Leuca

Located in the extreme southern tip of the Province of Lecce, in Apulia, the municipality of Castrignano del Capo includes the hamlets of Giuliano, Salignano, and the famous Santa Maria di Leuca, the meeting point between the Ionian and Adriatic seas. The festival represents a precious opportunity to discover the Terra village, its historic center, and the food and wine culture of the Capo di Leuca, far from the most touristy routes.