What would the world be without festivals? And, above all, how would so many specialties and typical products little known to the general public be discovered? Let's delve into the heart of this culinary tradition, where the humble "frittello" takes center stage.
The Enigmatic Frittello: A Deep-Fried Delight
The "frittello" is the brother of the "frittella," or rather the twin, given that in the vicinity the "sexes" of the frittella are inverted to the point of confusion. But what is the frittello? It consists of cut, washed, and salted cauliflowers that are immersed in a batter made of eggs, flour, water, and a little salt, and then fried in "padelloni" full of extra virgin olive oil. To be accompanied by a good glass of red wine: a typical Central Italian street food to be enjoyed, in Poggio San Lorenzo but not only.
The Sagra del Frittello: A Celebration of Flavor
Benedette sagre. The last example comes from Poggio San Lorenzo, a delightful town in the Rieti area, a stone's throw from Rome. Where every year, around March 19, the Sagra del frittello takes place. Yes, with the “o”, and it is no coincidence.
A Curious Connection: San Giuseppe and Frittelle
The Sagra del frittello is also held in Roccantica in the Rieti area, spilling over into Narni and Nera Montoro in Umbria, and Pisoniano and Montelibretti in the province of Rome. The two festivals in the province of Rieti, however, have the date in common: March 19, San Giuseppe, Father's Day. The relationship between San Giuseppe and frittelle is curious, also evident in the homonymous and very famous Neapolitan zeppole. And not because Mary's husband, as well as a skilled carpenter, had improvised himself in an improbable second profession. But because in Rome, March 19 was celebrated with frittelle and bignè, and in particular at the Church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami in the Forum. Where in ancient times a double feast took place: that of the saint and that of the artisans of whom the saint is the protector. And the Confraternity of Carpenters organized solemn celebrations and banquets based on frittelle and bignè, hence the Roman saying "San Giuseppe frittellaro".
The Ancient Roots: From Sileno to San Giuseppe
Why the frittelle? The most probable hypothesis is that the custom derives from the ancient Roman cult of Sileno, adoptive father of Bacchus, a divinity to whom sacred frittelle were offered that were prepared outside the temple. Preparations began on the eve, when the fryers set up their stalls covered with branches and adorned with flags, lanterns, and even sonnets in honor of the Saint and his "favorite" frittellaro. Generally printed on almanacs, the only readings that - when one knew how to read - the common people could afford.
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Poetic Musings: Belli and Giaquinto on Frittelle
Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli certainly could not have missed an opportunity to write about frittelle, with his Er zonetto pe le frittelle. Adolfo Giaquinto also humorously shared his thoughts on the connection between San Giuseppe and frittelle (or frittelli) in his San Giuseppe frittellaro.
A Culinary Evolution: From Rome to the Surrounding Areas
The custom in the capital is lost today, but in some way, it has survived in the surroundings, resorting to cauliflower and, curiously, with the name "frittello" and not "frittella".
Bonnie & Clyde: A Taste of Rome in Milan
Bonnie e Clyde is “La Friggitoria” più food p*rn e romana di Milano. From a small street food in the Nolo area to a genuine corner of Rome in the heart of Porta Romana. Artisan supplì, Roman pinse, Lazio wines, and a lot of real hunger. All handmade. All delightful. The atmosphere of an old street in Trastevere: cheerful background music, chatter and laughter, a Roman cutting board accompanied by a good crispy fried dish and a glass of wine.
A Commitment to Safety: Bonnie & Clyde as a Punto Viola
Bonnie e Clyde is a PUNTO VIOLA. The Punti Viola project by DonneXStrada aims to create safe places for people. Safe places mean any commercial exercise open to the public, sensitized and trained against gender violence and for the safety of people on the street. Bonnie e Clyde supports the MILANO PRIDE and also creates an agreement reserved for holders of the Pride Card, downloadable for free and active for the entire month of June, or Arcigay card for 365 days a year. - 15% for all our activities, aperitifs, drinks, and dinners.
The Joy of the Holidays: A Time for Culinary Traditions
Christmas is beautiful. And there are small things that make me enjoy it. And to think that they had always told me about it. Errors of youth, there can be no other explanation. Anyway, after that evening, the meringata has rightfully entered my ten favorite desserts. For some years now there has been a great mania, mine included, of making Christmas gifts that are not only homemade but strictly of a food nature. Cookies, in particular. If there are no jars or bags of cookies, we don't want them. Christmas is far away: repeat with me, Christmas is far away. Yesterday I saw Halloween sweets together with torroni. Well yes, it's exaggerated. But I felt like making, let's say, a Christmas dessert, indeed, the Christmas dessert par excellence: the log. Not exactly the classic one with chocolate and chestnuts but an alternative one. I know, we were practically going around in costume yesterday, it may seem inappropriate to you but I did it anyway, also decorated in red, caramelized walnuts and gold. Did you have a good Christmas with family, children, loved ones and lots of good food? Well, I'm glad! Here, in the Planner house, we celebrated the last Christmas Eve in the old house and now we have entered the vortex of the move. That's right, we're moving to a new house. Bucolic choice, a house outside the city with a large garden to see the little one of the house running like the youngest daughter of the theme song of "Little House on the Prairie". Boxes of various sizes await me with open arms.
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A Culinary Journey with Compagni di Blogger
This year is the beginning of my adventure with Compagni di Blogger, a well-assorted group of women united by a passion for good food and good cooking, the desire to continue learning and the desire to share with others what has already been learned. And it is precisely this spirit with which our culinary relays are born and the atmosphere in which they develop. I have just baked the "cucciddati", the first of a long list of sweets that will come out of my oven in the coming days. The cucciddati are Christmas sweets common in various areas of Sicily. Their shortcrust pastry shell, rigorously prepared with lard and not with butter, hides a rich filling that can vary depending on the area or even individual families. At the base of the most traditional filling there are dried figs combined with walnuts and almonds, but there are also versions with almonds only. Like the filling, the shape also varies. There are large cucciddati in the shape of a crown, decorated with a special pincer, puncturing the outer pastry, until the filling is almost visible. I know, I am from Campania by origin, but it was love at first bite with these Sicilian sweets and today I would like to offer you the recipe that was kindly given to me by Mrs. Bonaccorsi, mother of a very dear friend of mine.
The Art of Pizza: A Neapolitan Celebration
It is no coincidence that the leading publication in the pizza sector is celebrated in Naples: here, pizza has evolved from a homemade preparation to a catering product and from here it has been brought (and celebrated) to the world by master pizza makers. To then give life to an evolution that today makes the pizza world the most successful and dynamic interlocutor of the many Italian territorial identities and excellences. This is what the thirteenth edition of the Pizzerie d'Italia guide by Gambero Rosso tells us, presented today at the Palacongressi Mostra d'Oltremare in Naples. The pizzerias reviewed in this edition were 816, an increase compared to last year. The group of Tre Spicchi (100 total awards), the maximum rating assigned to pizza-on-a-plate pizzerias, and Tre Rotelle (18 awards) for pizza-by-the-slice and takeaway pizzerias are also enriched. There are 34 Stars awarded to the venues that have achieved Tre Spicchi or Tre Rotelle for at least ten consecutive years. "For 13 years, we have had the privilege of building a choral guide, in which listening to the territories is the fundamental starting point of the critical work. “Pizza is joy, culture, human contact. Not a ground for controversy, but a universal language that knows how to unite. In Italy there are more than 35,000 pizzerias: the future will depend on the ability to link the product to territory, seasonality and sustainability. For those who have done it, the satisfactions have already arrived. Pepe in Grani by Franco Pepe in Caiazzo and I Tigli by Simone Padoan in San Bonifacio lead the ranking of the three Spicchi 2026 with 97 points. Special Award S. Luca!
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