I Cappellacci Guide

This refined dish, now a symbol of Ferrara, originated in the Renaissance, at the court of Duke Alfonso II d'Este. The first written record of the recipe dates back to 1584, by Giovan Battista Rossetti, chef of the Este court.

The recipe of the past was slightly different to the current one. Since we liked bittersweet and spicy flavors, cinnamon and ginger were also present in the filling while in the recipe we received, the only spice present as a legacy of the past is nutmeg.

The name "cappellaccio" probably derives from the Ferrara dialect "caplaz" which is basically the name of the typical straw hat used by the farmers. Nevertheless, other opinions claim that the word is a kind of derogatory or that the name was born from the need to differentiate them from the Emilian cappelletti that are smaller and with a richer filling. Towards September, many festivals take place in Ferrara, celebrating this gastronomic delight. One particularly remembers the famous festival of Portomaggiore, which is a symbol of how the cappellacci di zucca are the real pulsating and lively heart of the Ferrara gastronomy. Since 2016 the pumpkin hats have been awarded the I.G.P.