The Flavours of the Festive Season in Ferrara: a journey through taste, stories and tradition

When the festive season arrives in Ferrara, it’s not only the city streets that begin to glow — kitchens come alive as well. Rolling pins reappear on tables, familiar aromas fill the air, and dishes rich in memory and tradition bring families together just as they have for generations. Ferrarese cuisine is the result of a unique encounter between the splendour of the Este court and the simplicity of popular tradition. In the sixteenth century, Cristoforo da Messisbugo, the court’s master steward and a remarkable precursor of modern chefs, codified recipes and rituals that still shape the city’s gastronomic identity. During the Christmas season, these historical preparations return to the centre of the table, transforming every meal into a story.

The symbolic dishes of Christmas in Ferrara

The festive journey begins with cappellacci di zucca, perhaps the city’s most iconic dish: hand-rolled pasta filled with butternut squash, Parmesan cheese and nutmeg, served with butter and sage or a rich ragù. As winter arrives, they make room for cappelletti in brodo, smaller pasta parcels filled with seasoned white meat and served in hot broth — a true holiday ritual, with each family guarding its own recipe. Another symbol of the season is pasticcio ferrarese, an elegant baked timballo enclosed in a delicate sweet crust. Inside, macaroni and a gentle white ragù reveal a perfect balance between aristocratic heritage and popular ingenuity. Completing the holiday table is salama da sugo, a robust and spiced speciality that requires long maturation and very slow cooking. Once ready, its intensity pairs perfectly with creamy mashed potatoes, creating one of Ferrara’s most distinctive flavour combinations.

Then come the desserts: pampapato, round and rich with dark chocolate, spices and candied fruit; tenerina, a soft-centred chocolate cake that melts at every bite; torta di tagliatelle, surprising and decorative with its lattice of sweet tagliatelle; and brazadela, the traditional Ferrarese ring-shaped cake, simple and fragrant, ideal dipped in wine or coffee. Finally, the king of Ferrara’s table: the coppia ferrarese IGP. This beautifully twisted, crisp bread — a true symbol of the city — pairs naturally with local cured meats, especially the zia ferrarese, a garlic-scented salami now protected by De.C.O. certification.

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From tradition to your kitchen: experiences to enjoy (and give as gifts) in Ferrara

Alongside tasting, Ferrara offers an even more engaging way to discover its culinary tradition: learning it firsthand. Cooking classes and pasta-making workshops allow visitors to literally get their hands into the dough and return home with an authentic piece of the territory. The class “Con le mani, impasta!”, held every Saturday from September to June and in special Christmas editions on 13 and 20 December, guides participants through the secrets of local bread, fresh egg pasta and traditional desserts such as tenerina, while the chef shares techniques, anecdotes and flavours to recreate at home.

For those seeking an even more traditional experience, a workshop with a sfoglina — a master of hand-rolled pasta — takes place every Friday and Saturday. Here, guests learn to prepare two of Ferrara’s classic dishes: cappellacci di zucca and cappelletti di carne. The experience ends with a small tasting and a certificate to take home. Those who prefer to explore Ferrara through flavour alone can opt for a tasting of local products right in front of the Estense Castle: a selection that includes zia ferrarese, local cured meats, coppia IGP and a glass of Bosco Eliceo DOC, followed by a sweet finale with pampapato.

The festive period is also the perfect moment to introduce children to Este culinary heritage. On 8 December, the Estense Castle hosts “Stories of Chefs and Recipes at the Este Court”, a thematic family-friendly visit that explores kitchens, decorated halls and Renaissance tales to reveal what the dukes once ate and how Messisbugo created dishes that shaped the city’s identity.

Discover all the experiences Ferrara has to offer and enjoy a Christmas filled with flavour, history and unforgettable moments.