San Pietro in Casale Boiled Meat Festival

A festival in service of the Historical Carnival

The San Pietro in Casale Boiled Meat Festival is one of the most cherished gastronomic events of autumn in the plains north of Bologna. It takes place in the Municipality of San Pietro in Casale, in Emilia-Romagna, and was created with a specific purpose: to raise funds to support the town's Historical Carnival, a tradition that has been renewed since 1871. It is organized by the association Cranvel ed San Pir in Casel (in local dialect, "Carnevale di San Pietro in Casale"), which transforms the passion for Emilian cuisine into concrete support for one of the community's most beloved events each year.

Boiled Meat, the Absolute Star

The heart of the festival is the mixed boiled meat, a dish of traditional Emilian peasant cuisine now rarely offered, which here returns in all its richness. The famous Bollito ed "Sandron Spaviron" combines muscle, tail, tongue, capon, pancetta, cotechino, gizzards, and sheep meat, accompanied by green sauce and ortaggina sauce. Alongside the beef, there is also pork boiled meat with trotters, tongue, ribs, and cotechino. For those seeking other local flavors, there is tripe in a bowl, mixed grill, mutton, and sausage.

From First Courses to Desserts

The menu starts with the great classics of Bolognese cuisine: capon broth tortellini, passatelli in broth, maltagliati in bean broth, and gramigna with sausage. Among the side dishes, fried potatoes, salad, radicchio, and the unmissable friggione stand out. To finish, homemade desserts like zuppa inglese and amaretti cake, paired with local wines: Lambrusco, Sangiovese, Cabernet, and the sparkling "Glera" served in a carafe.

When and Where

The festival takes place over two weekends in October in the heated and covered marquee of the Parish Asylum Area, at Via Matteotti 2, in the center of San Pietro in Casale (province of Bologna). On weekdays, opening hours are in the evening, while on holidays, lunch is also served at noon. Given the turnout, reservations are recommended and often mandatory: it's best to contact the organizers before traveling.

More Than Just a Dinner

Participating in the Boiled Meat Festival means sitting at a table that tells the story of the most authentic Emilia and, at the same time, helping to keep one of the longest-standing traditions of the Bolognese territory alive. Every dish served contributes to financing the Historical Carnival of San Pietro in Casale, making this festival an event of both gastronomic and civic value.