Tagliariegli e Fasuri Festival

A festival in the heart of the Alto Casertano

The Tagliariegli e Fasuri Festival takes place in Roccavecchia, one of the two hamlets of the municipality of Pratella, in the province of Caserta, deep within the Campania region. The village sits at an altitude of just over 150 meters at the foot of the Matese massif, not far from the borders with Molise and Lazio—a land of forests, springs, and small villages where rural cuisine is not a museum relic, but a living practice in every home. The event is organized by the Pro Loco of Pratella and is held in Piazza Palombiscio, which transforms into a large open-air dining room for the occasion.

Tagliariegli e fasuri: what is the dish?

The festival's name is the dialectal term for its star dish: tagliariegli are fresh pasta ribbons, rolled by hand with a rolling pin and cut with a knife, cooked together with fasuri, or beans. It is a recipe with very humble ingredients—flour, water, legumes, oil, and a simple sauté—yet rich in history. It originated in the kitchens of Alto Casertano farming families, where pasta was made at home because it was cheaper than buying it, and legumes were the primary source of protein throughout the winter. In Roccavecchia, the dough is still prepared by hand by local women: it is this artisanal effort, more than any promotional campaign, that has helped the festival grow and attract visitors from neighboring towns.

A young but deeply rooted event

Compared to the large historical festivals in the province, the Roccavecchia event is relatively new: the sixth edition took place on August 2 and 3, 2025, while the first editions were scheduled in mid-July, always in the same square. The calendar reference is typically the window between the second half of July and the first days of August, though the exact date can change from year to year and is generally announced by the Pro Loco shortly before the event via social media channels and posters displayed in surrounding towns.

What to expect

Like most village festivals in the Matese area, the event has a simple and convivial structure: you eat at communal tables set up in the square, order at the counter, and carry your tray to your seat, while the evening continues with music and dancing until late. It is not a gastronomic festival built for mass tourism, but a community celebration that warmly welcomes visitors from afar.

• The signature dish: tagliariegli e fasuri, the absolute stars of the menu.
• Local cuisine: the local tradition also includes gnocchi, tarallucci, and products from the Caserta hinterland.
• Open-air dining in Piazza Palombiscio, in the center of the village.
• Live music and evening entertainment, according to the program defined each year by the Pro Loco.
• Affordable and accessible, suitable for families with children.

Pratella, the host town

Pratella has just over 1,600 inhabitants and was already mentioned at the end of the 12th century under the name Pratilla, during the Norman period. The old town center preserves traces of a fortified layout, with remains of the city walls, defensive towers, and ancient gates. Worth seeing are the church of San Nicola di Bari, the ancient monumental fountain, and, just outside the town, the archaeological sites of the Grotta del Monte Cavuto and a long stretch of Samnite walls. The area is also known for the naturally effervescent oligomineral water springs of Colle Pezzato, bottled and distributed throughout Italy: those arriving at the festival will recognize the name on the labels.

The Matese surroundings

The festival is a great opportunity to discover a corner of Campania that remains off the beaten path. Pratella borders Ailano, Ciorlano, Prata Sannita, Presenzano, Sesto Campano, and Vairano Patenora, and overlooks the Matese Regional Park, with its trails, gorges, and stone villages. The other hamlet of the municipality, Mastrati, also hosts its own summer festival dedicated to corn: during the warm months, the calendar in this part of the province of Caserta is packed with similar events, which together tell the story of a rural cuisine made of wheat, legumes, and corn.