OUR HISTORY

Forno Ceralli: Tradition and Passion since 1920

Ours is much more than an oven:
It is the beating heart of artisanal baking in Frascati , a place where time seems to have stood still to preserve the true essence of traditional bread and sweets.

It all began in 1920 , when Eugenio Ceralli purchased an old wood-fired oven in Piazza Bambocci , the oldest square in Frascati, for 1200 lire.
This oven, built inside a building dating back to 1380 , is the same one we still use today…
Fed with chestnut bundles , it has preserved the authentic flavour of the Castelli Romani for over a century.

A century of challenges and innovations

During the difficult years of the Second World War , the bakery became a point of reference for the community, continuing to bake bread even in the darkest moments.

It was during these years that grandmother Rossana , born in 1926 , became the cornerstone of the family, lovingly passing down secrets and recipes that still give life to our specialties today. The 1950s brought new challenges: a law required the separation of the bakery and the shop. To comply, the Ceralli family purchased the building across the street, which still houses our shop today.

This gives rise to amusing anecdotes, with skeptical customers struggling to believe that the bread sold in the shop was really the same one baked in the bakery across the street.

Authentic flavors, traditional recipes

In the 1970s and 1980s, a new law tried to force us to replace our historic wood-fired oven with an electric one . But we resisted… and even today we are the only wood-fired oven in Frascati .

Our oven is a unique piece:
Its cast iron parapet, engraved with the number "2," suggests it may be one of the first ever produced by the Emilian company that built it a century ago. Its barrel vault, constructed with a special blend of materials sourced exclusively from Vico Equense...
It undergoes restoration every four years by master craftsmen, who take care of its maintenance to preserve its efficiency, stability and historical value.

The birth of a unique confectionery art

Toward the end of the 1990s, the bakery evolved: Eugenio Ceralli began to dedicate himself to pastry making, experimenting with and perfecting the baking of large leavened products in a wood-fired oven. This was how our artisanal panettone and pandoro were born, unique in Italy for their fragrance and longevity.

In the following years, Easter doves , Venetian cakes , and must doughnuts also arrived, symbols of a tradition that continues to renew itself without losing its soul. Meanwhile, our sourdough starter , unchanged since 1920 , continues to grow and enrich every dough. Carefully tending it is a true master, an expert baker who nourishes it daily to ensure the quality and authentic flavor of our products.

And then there's our fireman, who knows when the oven has reached the perfect temperature not thanks to a display, but with pure instinct and the experience of a lifetime spent by the fire.

From Frascati to Rome

After more than 100 years of history , Forno Ceralli has brought its art to Rome , in Piazza Rondanini 42 , a few steps from the Pantheon . This new opening is the fruit of a dream, a promise made to Nonna Rossana , who passed away in August of last year.

“Rome,” we told her… and Rome arrived.

Today we continue to knead, bake, and pass on tradition and authenticity, keeping the flavor of the past alive... Because our bread is more than just food: it's history, passion, and family.