By Piergiorgio and Amy Nicoletti
Christmas—or Natale—is when the warm heart of Italy opens to its fullest. Cities sparkle with an unparalleled elegance, and the exuberant, generous Italian spirit is apparent everywhere. Christmas is by far themost important holiday of the year in Italy—the festivities lasting from December 24th through January 6th. Family gatherings are the most important part of Natale. This is the time of year when families reunite from whatever corners of the world they may have scattered, and it is around the table—or, a tavola—that Italian families come together. As we all know, these holidays can sometimes be anything but serene; nonetheless, Natale allows parents and children, siblings and in-laws, friends and sweethearts—and sometimes a grandfather (nonno) or grandmother (nonna), or an old beloved aunt (zia)—the opportunity to see one another after long separations, spending significant time together over splendid food and drink.
Natale is one of the few occasions of the year in which ancestral traditions are revered above all else; skills, memories and team work all come together to create very elaborate banquets and fabulous dishes. What will be eaten during the feste is a kind of ritual; very often each portate (that is, each single course) is prepared more or less in the same way it has been for generations. Days are spent in the kitchen—everyone pitching in—with lots of long, languorous hours between meals, spent relaxing and digesting and chatting—the long-awaited family conversations punctuated by the sound of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts being cracked open and the shells tossed into the fireplace.
If we consider only le feste di Natale (the Christmas festivities)—excluding for now the long and rich Veglione di San Silvestro (New Year’s Eve feast) and the wonderful pranzo di Capodanno (New Year’s Day lunch)—there are three important meals.
December 24: Christmas Eve Dinner
Christmas Eve dinner is traditionally a light meal with no meat. This dinner precedes the Midnight Mass. In the colder and more rural regions, the Mass is often followed by hot chocolate at home with cookies or a slice of panettone. In my childhood in Venice, this tradition was a joy for my siblings and me—a reward for behaving for nearly two long hours in church.
Antipasti are normally based on fish; for example, Carpaccio di pesce spada, tonno or salmone(sword fish, tuna fish, or fresh salmon carpaccio), and/or insalata di mareordi polpo (seafood or octopus salad). As a first course, in regions like Lombardia, Piemonte and Emilia-Romagna, agnolotti filled with ricotta and spinach, potatoes or pumpkin are served. These are usually served with butter, sage and Parmigiano-Reggiano. But the originality of some traditions can go to extremes like the cialson prepared in Friuli, which are ravioli filled with ricotta, raisins and/or dried figs, spinach, chocolate and candied citron! In Veneto, we love bigoi in salsa, which are a sort of thick, buckwheat spaghetti seasoned with a delicious cream of anchovies and onions. In Piemonte, the glorious bagna caudais often served. Anguilla (eel) orcapitone is very traditional, and is cooked in many different ways all over Italy. In parts of Sicily, they prepare involtini (roulade) of swordfish made with breadcrumbs, orange juice, pinoli, dried raisins, tarragon, ginger, garlic, parsley and basil. This last dish is an example of how Italian regional cuisine can reach an almost stratospheric level!
December 25: Christmas Day Lunch
This is the most important of the three meals associated with Natale and can last for hours. The table has to be beautiful and big to accommodate the many guests; the relatives with the biggest table usually host the party. The best tablecloths are chosen, together with grandmother’s antique dishware, and of course the English silverware. Precious crystal glasses are brought out, and if you break one, you will be reminded of your clumsiness for years to come.
On Christmas day lunch, the first course is often preceded by a classic antipasto with cuts of cured meat, garnished with olives and cheese. When the pasta course is brought out, it is just about impossible for any Italian to refuse a second serving of nonna’s wonderful Pasta or Pasticcio al forno—a baked pasta full of surprises. This type of baked pasta is more common in the central southern regions of Italy. In the north, Lasagne verdi alla Bolognese reigns supreme, along with a huge variety of filled pastas. Cannelloni with different fillings, baked with besciamella and ragù, are also popular. Though today’s young families have their own alternatives to these classic choices, most Italians prefer the traditional to the new for the holidays.
As a second course, meat is de rigueur: roasted veal, braised beef or roasted chicken with potatoes—which in my childhood was really an event. We say in Italy that court birds and little animals are the sacrificial victims of our lust for meat at Christmas.
December 26th—Santo Stefano’s Lunch
On the 26th of December, lunch is important too. For this meal, more distant relatives and friends are often invited. The meal will be less sumptuous, but still important and well composed. Fantasy and innovation at the stove are probably more common for this meal. Different kinds of antipasti and other courses are often served.
If a family had guests on Christmas, it’s very likely that on this day, called Santo Stefano, they will return the visit or see other relatives or friends at least to exchange presents and good wishes. If no guests are invited, it’s customary that leftovers will be joyfully eaten—like the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. In any case, the tendency nowadays is to make less elaborate preparations on this day. This is an important lunch, certainly made with the holiday spirit, but with no particular culinary traditions of its own. Younger generations will often try some unusual pasta dishes, or a new exotic soup. Also, on this day, restaurants are very popular, offering a refreshing change from days in the kitchen.
Traditional Italian Holiday Recipes
Looking for holiday cookie recipes?
Flickr: Breville USA
It's like adding cream and sugar, but a lot more fun. This beautiful coffee drink is called an affogato.The Simple Things via Getty Images
It's a way of life.Flickr: fred_v
It's like buffalo mozzarella, only SO MUCH BETTER because it has the wonderful addition of cream.Flickr: Smabs Sputzer
The average Italian consumes about 14 liters of olive oil a year.Flickr: ejgrubbs
They use the real deal, and they make it in these enormous wheels.Flickr: stu_spivack
They shape it into a ball, stuff it with ragu, bread it and throw it in the deep fryer. It's called arancini and it's almost better than risotto. We commend them for their resourcefulness and respect their ability to fry just about anything.Flickr: stuandgravy
They have their priorities straight.
