In the heart of Maremma, along the silent Via Umberto of my native village, my great-grandmother Cleofe — with a patient hand and a generous heart — prepared her Tortelli Maremmani al Ragù di Carne, sitting at the large wooden table in the kitchen of the village house.
That lined notebook that held his blue writing: carefully measured ingredients, precise timing, lovingly noted steps. So I remember the clear title: Tortelli Maremmani al Ragù di Carne, and the neat sections—pastry, filling, sauce—in an elegant flow of simple yet precise instructions.
That recipe, handed down season after season, was the heart of the family. With 150g of durum wheat flour, 50g of 00 flour, two eggs, a drizzle of oil, and a pinch of salt, the dough was made. Then came the ricotta, the well-drained spinach, the egg, the Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg: and that filling that, on just a few kilos of pasta, gave life to long moments of celebration.
I still remember:
- Preparation: 45 minutes
- Rest: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 5 minutes
And the instructions, written with the elegant hand that only those who truly love to eat can engrave on the heart: dough, shaping, cooking, seasoning, sweet anticipation of the first bite... With fragrant meat sauce and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan.
Now the country is coming back to life
And starting this evening, Campagnatico comes alive: tradition becomes a true celebration, as from July 25th to August 3rd the Tortello, Strozzapreti and Snail Festival is celebrated. Every evening, starting at 7:30 pm, the squares fill with the authentic flavors of the Maremma—especially handmade tortelli—and people dance under the stars to live music. The village will be illuminated by warm lights, laughter, and the aromas of warm, fragrant tortelli, delicious snails, and handmade strozzapreti. All prepared by expert hands and hearts in love with the land.
Between memory and celebration, the thin thread
Reading my great-grandmother's notes, I can still smell the aroma: the thin pasta, the soft filling, the thick sauce. And at the same time, I imagine the tables at the festival, with steaming dishes, cheerful lights, friendly voices, music, dancing, and toasts.
Thus the notebook becomes a bridge between past and present: the recipe kept within the home walls is now offered to the entire town, transforming the memory of the house on Via Roma into a shared experience.
I invite you to taste these Tortelli Maremmani al Ragù di Carne, and if you are in the area, until August 3rd, let yourself be enveloped by the atmosphere of the Campagnatico Festival, where tradition, conviviality and celebration come together around a simple but timeless dish.
