Typical festivals, chapter 3 south Italy

From north to south, the Italian regions have different facets and characteristics; nutrition is no exception. All, however, maintain a strong link with the territory that, in most cases, is expressed through the cuisine and typical products, expertly celebrated through country festivals as folkloristic as peculiar.

Let’s start with Abruzzo, with its promontories and hills rich in villages and fortresses:

the Sagra delle Virtù Teramane, in the month of May in Teramo, with the main dish called le Virtù which consists of a very rich soup made with artichokes, fried zucchini and meatballs;
the Fregnacce Festival with Duck Sauce, in Montepagano in July, ideal for lovers of special flavors, which offers participants a traditional egg pasta topped with duck sauce;
the festival “de lu stennmass”, always in July in Roseto Degli Abruzzi, an event at which you can taste the recipes prepared with a rolling pin (lu stennmass, in abruzzese);
the Truffle Festival, in Campovalano always in July, which highlights all the organoleptic characteristics of truffles;
The Sagra del Prosciutto Abruzzese, in August in Basciano, on the notes of the diatonic accordion of the Festival Abruzzese del ‘ddu bbotte.

Fonte: giulianova.it

We leave Abruzzo and arrive in Basilicata, where the territory offers so many excellences to create the embarrassment of choice. The best festivals to attend are definitely:

the Sagra del Peperone Crusco, in August in Senise, a real institution that allows you to know the true taste of this characteristic product in its countless combinations;
the “tumact me tulez” festival, in August in Barile, a typical dish of Vulture that consists of homemade tagliatelle sprinkled with bread crumbs and nut sauce;
the Canestrato di Moliterno Festival, which in the first half of August celebrates this typical aromatic and spicy cheese;
the Sagra della Soppressata and Caciocavallo, in Rapone during the second Sunday of August, with a large number of combinations of both typical products to be enjoyed with a good glass of wine;
the Sarconi Bean Festival, which pays tribute to the IGP brand bean also used in the preparation of ice cream after August;
the Cod Festival, always shortly after August in Avigliano, an opportunity to taste traditional dishes combined with more innovative culinary elaborations;
the Sagra del Pecorino di Filiano, which celebrates the PDO pecorino produced in the area at the beginning of September;
The Round Eggplant Festival, straddling August, which pays homage to the roundish and vermilion-like vegetable very similar to a tomato, to taste in its extraordinary combinations.

Fonte: basilicata.wayglo.it

It “descends” little to reach the wonderful Calabria, whose people is deeply linked to the traditions and culture of the territory. Each festival, not by chance, is a clear tribute to the various Calabrian products most loved ever:

the Fish Festival, in the first week of August in Parghelia, where the blue fish is the real protagonist;
the Octopus Festival, on the seafront of Joppolo in August, during which the octopus is cooked following ancient recipes joppolesi;
the Sujaca Festival, that is, the typical Carian beans that are grown on the plateau of Monte Poro, always organized on August 6 each year;
the Nduja Festival, in August in Spilinga, which offers different dishes based on ‘nduja;
the Festival of Blue Fish and Red Onion, the latter known for its sweet and delicate flavor, along with fish, typical dishes of the Tropean tradition in July;
The Wine Festival, in August in Battirò, which offers participants free glasses of wine along with sandwiches, pizzas and desserts.

Fonte: calabriacontatto.it

It takes little to go from Calabria to Campania, land between sea and volcano, with unique colors and inimitable passion. The festivals are indispensable bells:

the Sagra del Mare Flegrea, in Monte di Procida in the first week of August, offering fish dishes;
the Maccaronara Festival, in Castelvetere sul Calore in mid-August, dedicated to a type of pasta made by hand with water and flour and the peculiar triangular shape that is obtained through a special tool, namely maccaronara;
The Festival of Fusillo Felittese, in August in Felitto, which pays homage to the cylinder of hollow pasta prepared with eggs, flour, salt, water and olive oil;
the Festival of Ciammarucchiello, straddling August in Buonalbergo, where land snails are the undisputed protagonists;
the Festival of Fusillo, Porchetta and Greco di Tufo, in July in Torrioni, which offers menus based on these typical ingredients in their various combinations;
the Boar Festival, in Dugenta from August to October, on the occasion of which all the dishes are prepared with wild boar meat;
The Eggplant Festival, in Santa Maria la Carità at the end of July, dedicated to vegetables declined among appetizers, first and second courses and desserts.

Fonte: cilentomeraviglie.it

Introverted and reserved, even Molise does not back down in front of local festivals to bring out its typical products, giving the best of itself in the Grape Festival of Riccia: at the beginning of September, they pay homage to the harvest and the wine and the participants can attend parades in costume and shows of allegorical floats.

Fonte: turismoinmolise.com

After this short break, you fly directly to Puglia which, with its local festivals, offers the opportunity to discover all its culinary tradition:

the Festival de lu purpu, in Melendugno in the first week of August, with the protagonist of octopus in all sauces, sall grilled salad;
the Festa del Peperoncino, in Torre Santa Susanna always in the first week of July, where the king of spices finds space in any possible and imaginable dish;
the Feast of Pitta Rustica, the first days of August in Castrignano dei Greci, in which the pitta salentina is proposed enriched with onions, olives, potatoes and so on;
the Old Times Festival, in Ostuni at the turn of August, which celebrates the old crafts of music, folklore and gastronomic tours;
The Spumone Festival, in Torre Suda in mid-August, dedicated to the parallelepiped of homemade ice cream served in different flavors.

Fonte: leccenews24.it

The peninsula is interrupted, but southern Italy continues with its major islands: Sicily and Sardinia, as beautiful in summer as fascinating in autumn and winter. In Sicily there are certainly festivals that celebrate the typical products of the territory:

the Ricotta Festival, in April in Vizzini, during which the typical cheese fills entire stands that extend through the streets of the town, as well as tasty dishes to enjoy in the company of a good glass of wine;
the Almond Blossom Festival, at the beginning of March in Agrigento, which showcases not only the numerous delicacies of the territory, but also a large number of musical concerts, exhibitions and theater performances;
Ottobrata Zafferanese, in Zafferana Etnea, which every Sunday in October offers the typical products of Sicily among grapes, wine, honey, mustard, porcini dell’Etna, oil, olives, hazelnuts and much more;
the Sagra del Fico d’India, in October in Roccapalumba, which pays homage to the famous Sicilian fruit combining it with other popular local products;
The Pistachio Festival, in July in Bronte, which offers the pistachio in both sweet and salty version to appreciate it in all its facets.

Fonte: liveuniversity.it

To conclude, here is Sardinia, with its history and its gastronomic tradition that can leave you breathless:

the Sagra de Su Prugadoriu, in Seui on the occasion of Halloween, which offers the tasting of typical Sardinian delicacies such as culurgionis, civargèddus, sheep in coat, cockerel and peas, roast meat and cheese;
the Festival of Fava beans and chickpeas, in Ollastra on the occasion of the Feast of San Sebastiano from 17 to 20 January;
the Boar Festival, in Gairo, where participants can taste the aromatic meat together with excellent local wine in January;
the Sagra del Riccio, between February and March in Alghero, featuring the rare red sea urchin;
the Festival of the Zippola, in Narbolia, which celebrates one of the most representative sweets of the Sardinian carnival;
the Citrus Festival, in April in Muravera, to celebrate the arrival of spring;
the Sagra da Su Pa(n)i Arrubiu, in Sini on the occasion of April 25, entirely dedicated to the typical local dessert based on cooked must, raisins, almonds and colored devils;
the Sagra de Su ischidu, in May in Silanus, which pays homage to a variety of fermented milk prepared by Sardinian shepherds with goat or sheep milk, very similar to yogurt and high in lactic ferments.