Struffolo d'Oro

Struffolo d'Oro: the sweet competition

In Portico di Caserta, a small town in the province of Caserta, Campania, Christmas has a very specific flavor: that of struffoli. Every year, in the days leading up to Christmas Eve, the APS Pro Loco Portico di Caserta organizes the Struffolo d'Oro, a competition and public tasting dedicated to the most beloved Christmas dessert in Southern Italy. The event has now surpassed twenty-five editions and has become a staple of the local calendar, even joining the tourist circuit surrounding the Royal Palace of Caserta.

How the competition works

The heart of the event is Piazza Rimembranza, the town's main square, where food and wine stands are set up for tastings. Two worlds that rarely meet compete here: on one side, local commercial businesses—pastry shops, bakeries, and cafes—and on the other, private citizens, namely families who guard recipes passed down through generations.

• Registration is reserved for businesses and residents of Portico di Caserta
• Setup of stands and public tasting
• Evaluation by a jury of experts and critics
• Announcement and awarding of the Struffolo d'Oro of the year

In past editions, the title has gone to, among others, the La Belle Boulangerie pastry shop in Portico di Caserta, winner of the 21st edition. The jury evaluates the dough, the frying, the balance of the honey, and the care put into the decoration: the trays presented are often true artistic compositions, the result of hours of patient work.

What are struffoli?

Struffoli are the quintessential Christmas dessert of Campania: small balls of egg-based dough that are fried and then mixed with warm honey, arranged in a ring or pyramid shape. The final decoration includes diavolilli (colorful sprinkles), cubed candied fruit, and orange zest. It is a humble dessert in terms of ingredients but rich in tradition: the preparation requires patience and, traditionally, involves the whole family in the days leading up to December 25th. Entering struffoli into a competition means entering a piece of domestic memory, which is why the event continues to fill the square.

Part of the Christmas season

The Struffolo d'Oro is part of the town's Christmas program, Natale sotto il Portico, which fills the squares with markets, nativity scenes, children's shows, concerts, and parades from the lighting of the tree until Epiphany. During the same period, the Pro Loco also proposes the home nativity scene competition Cristo nasce nelle case, the New Year's tombola, and the Cantata dei Pastori accompanied by bagpipes. Visitors arriving for the competition will find an entire season of events already underway.

Portico di Caserta, the town of the Bottari

With just under eight thousand inhabitants in an area of about two square kilometers, Portico di Caserta is one of the smallest and densest municipalities in the province. Its identity is linked to pastellessa and the Bottari—musicians who play barrels, tubs, and scythes to animate the feast of Saint Anthony Abbot between late January and early February. In 2022, the town was officially recognized as the "Town of the Bottari." The patron saint is Saint Peter the Apostle, whose church dates back to 1137 and is celebrated at the end of June. It is a community accustomed to celebrating in the streets, and the Struffolo d'Oro is its most delicious version.

Who organizes it

The event is promoted by the APS Pro Loco Portico di Caserta, located at Via Principe di Piemonte 2, in collaboration with local social and cultural associations and with the patronage of the Municipality of Portico di Caserta and the Chamber of Commerce of Caserta. Access to the square and the tasting is traditionally free: just bring a healthy appetite.