Flavors of Italy: Holiday Dishes

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Flavors of Italy: Holiday Dishes

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Flavors of Italy: Holiday Dishes

by Dejou Marano

For Italians, the holiday season brings about two very important dining occasions: Cenone della Vigilia (Christmas Eve dinner) and Christmas Day supper. Italians usually kick-off the holiday festivities by fasting all of Christmas Eve day and then indulging on an abundant seafood feast for dinner. While Christmas Eve signifies a time to enjoy the fruits of the sea, the flavors of Christmas Day include rich meats, soups, stews, pastas and elaborate desserts. After a marathon lunch or supper, Italian families normally crowd around the holiday table to play a lively game of tombola, the Italian version of bingo. As you begin to think about what culinary traditions you’ll be continuing this holiday season, we’ve included a few festive regional Italian dishes to get you in the spirit:

NAPLES

  • Vruoccoli zuffritti co l’alice salate – Fried broccoli with salted anchovies
  • Cassuola de calamarielli e seccetelle – Casserole of little squid and calamari
  • Struffoli – Morsels of sweet fried dough drizzled in honey
  • Cappone a lo tiano – A delicious homemade soup made with capon and vegetables
  • Puorco servatico – Roasted wild boar

ABRUZZO

  • Arrosto di Agnello – Roasted lamb
  • Bollito di Maiale – A stew made with boiled pork, hot chili, rosemary and bay leaves.
  • Calcionetti Fritti – Turnovers filled with black grape marmalade, garbanzo beans, chopped walnuts, almonds and cocoa

EMILIA ROMAGNA

  • Culatello di Zibello – Cured ham stuffed into a pigs bladder, lightly salted, and aged to cured perfection
  • Cotechino di Modena – A fresh sausage made using a blend of pork, pork fat and pork rind

LE MARCHE

  • Pizza di Nata‘ – A dessert bread made with dried fruit, raisins, grated lemon and orange, figs, cocoa powder and sugar

LAZIO

  • Fritto misto di verdure – Fried artichokes and broccoli
  • Baccalà Fritto – Fried salt cod

PIEMONTE

  • Pepperoni in bagna cauda – Peppers swirled in a warm salt, garlic and anchovy sauce
  • Torrone d’Alba – Whole hazelnuts dreamily suspended in fluffy white nougat candy

What festive Italian dish do you want at your holiday dinner table? If you’re looking for ideas, let us know, and we might post a recipe or two!

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8 thoughts on “Flavors of Italy: Holiday Dishes”

  1. Colleen Ruffini

    Please can you send me the recipe for Calcionetti fritti. My mother-in-law came from Abruzzo and made a turnover at Christmas that she called Cecipieni. The ingredients sound identical to what you describe for calcionetti. I would be so grateful
    Colleen Ruffini

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