Sagra del Turtun

The turtun, a dish of peasant cuisine

The turtun is a typical savoury pie from the peasant cuisine of the Val Nervia, filled with vegetables and cheese. It originates from the poor mountain tradition of Liguria, when women skillfully combined a few ingredients to create tasty dishes. One detail well illustrates the communal dimension of this preparation: before baking the turtun in shared wood-fired ovens, each family would mark it with their initials to identify it.

The village of Castel Vittorio

The festival takes place in Castel Vittorio, a perched village in the upper Val Nervia in the province of Imperia, a few kilometres from Pigna and the famous Dolceacqua. The narrow streets and alleys of the historic centre provide the backdrop for a festival that is both a gastronomic event and an opportunity to rediscover the mountain culture of western Liguria.

Tastings, music, and a gastronomic competition

During the event, you can taste freshly baked turtun, accompanied by music, dancing, and stalls. Among the innovations of recent editions, a gastronomic competition awards the best turtun, evaluating its shape, colour, flavour, aroma, texture, and the characteristic folds of the pastry. The Sagra del Turtun is among the Authentic Ligurian events promoted by the Liguria Region.