AT THE back of the Woodford Folk Festival, behind the big tent known as The Grand, awaits a slice - or plenty more - of Italy.

A group of Italians has built and is operating a

pizzeria with two wood-fired ovens in the traditional way.

The pizza makers are from La Valle

Degli Elfi - the Valley of Elfi - a small community of about 400 people about an hour's drive through the mountains from Bologna and Florence.

Money they make from the pizzeria will go towards an annual festival, Imaginaria, for their community, att

ended by most if not all of the people who live in the

valley.

The group, in their 20s and 30s, see it as their duty to keep up the fundraising for the festival.

"We take the job off our

parents. We make it traditional," Carlo Rametto said.

"Our fathers were doing this work, maybe 20 years."

They travel the European festival circuit during the northern hemisphere summer, but are expanding their territory to countries like Australia.

They not only work for the benefit of their community but try to make sure they help other communities during their travels by buying

local ingredients for their all-vegetarian pizzas where possible.

"We try and improve things for them as well," Mr Rametto said.

While cooking pizzas in 400-degree ovens is not comfortable work in the heat of summer, they do not complain.

"We take turns. All of us, we do everything," Brett

Riley said.

After Woodford wraps up today, the Elfi group will have a break to enjoy some of the Australian summer.

A few will go on to farm work in Tasmania but consideration is also being given to cultivating festival pizzerias in Brazil next.