The Italian Bread Festival in Rome starts today and is called the “festa del Pane Casereccio” locally, otherwise known as “bruschetta”.
It will take place over the weekend from 6pm this evening in Piazza Tommaso Frasconi.
It will finish with a pyrotechnics display on Sunday (we have visions of flaming bread flying past crowds) and is all to celebrate the patron saint of the area, San Tommaso da Villanova.
“Pane Casereccio” from Genzano follows a tradition of homemade Italian bread, baked in wood fired ovens.
Its history dates back to the 1800’s but since the 1940’s it has achieved a huge reputation in Rome and Italy as one of the best Italian breads.
Its fame comes from the various tools used to make it and the bread making secrets passed from one generation to the next.
Pane Casereccio can be used to accompany just about any dish, but it is best known for its use as bruschetta.
Eaten plain and just dressed with a little olive oil also makes for a perfect Italian snack.
The festival includes tastings, guided tours, kids events and a Slow Food tasting seminar, though perhaps the highlight is the “grande bruschettata” or bruschetta feast.
See LazioFeste and the Pane Casereccio festival for more details.