Taccozza, Chickpea and Ciambella Festival

A village tradition over forty years in the making

The Taccozza, Chickpea and Ciambella Festival is the most iconic gastronomic event in Goriano Sicoli, a small village perched on a hill overlooking the Subequana Valley in the province of L'Aquila, within the Sirente-Velino Regional Park. Organized by the Pro Loco "La Rocca", the festival is the highlight of the Ferragosto Gorianese, a series of celebrations that bring the village to life in the first half of August, when the historic streets fill with residents and those who have returned to their hometown for the summer holidays.

Three iconic dishes

The festival revolves around three local peasant-cuisine specialties. Taccozza is a handmade pasta, cut into diamond shapes and traditionally kneaded with solina, an ancient mountain wheat grown in Abruzzo; it is served with legumes, rustic sauces, or ragù, following a recipe passed down through generations. Chickpeas, grown in the valley's soil, are the other star of the show, alongside the Goriano ciambella, a traditional dessert also linked to the village's religious rites. The village's two historic festivals—the Chickpea and Ciambella Festival and the Taccozza Festival—have reached their forty-fifth and sixteenth editions respectively, a testament to deeply rooted popular traditions.

The village and its identity

Goriano Sicoli retains a medieval layout with three Gothic gates and the famous Sanctuary of Santa Gemma, the village's patron saint, who is celebrated in May with one of the most evocative festivals in Abruzzo. The summer festival extends this strong sense of community: around the stalls set up in the historic center, the pleasure of good food blends with live music concerts that accompany the August evenings, creating the convivial and familiar atmosphere typical of Abruzzese village festivals.

An opportunity to discover the Subequana Valley

For visitors, the festival is also a gateway to an authentic and lesser-known territory: the Subequana Valley, with its stone villages, high-altitude pastures, and typical products such as pecorino cheese, mountain honey, and truffles. Participating in the Ferragosto Gorianese means tasting dishes that can no longer be found elsewhere and experiencing the genuine hospitality of a village in the L'Aquila hinterland.