The local Alpini organised a chestnut festival in the grounds of the Villa Fiori on Sunday. The Alpini are elite mountain warfare soldiers of the Italian army. They were founded on 15th October 1872 and are the oldest active mountain infantry in the world.
They are known by their distinctive grey hat with a black raven feather, or white goose feather for an officer. Alpini of all ages were in the park cooking chestnuts and chestnut pancakes. It was a beautiful autumn day.
setting up for the day
the Alpini get to work
Chestnuts were roasted in the background while the Alpini made the neci, the chestnut pancakes.
portable chestnut roaster
loaded and ready to go
the roaster and his advisor
oiling the pan
the chestnut flour batter is poured onto the hot pan
another is placed on top
a very handy spanner presses to 2 pans together
the finished neci
the happy cook
There was also pasta fritta, which is deep fried pasta dough.
the prepared dough
the finished product
roasted chestnuts
it was not an expensive menu
We ordered neci with nutella, pasta fritta and some chestnuts and retired to the shade of a tree to enjoy our feast.
neci with nutella
As well as the chestnut delights there were other stalls selling all kinds of interesting things, painting and activities for children and lots of funn things to do.
painting for children
any excuse to bask in the sun
One of the reasons I love to be in the village is these fun days organised by the locals.
Click here to see the wonderful chestnut festival in Lupinaia, a gorgeous mountain village nearby.