An Italian Christmas - Natale

Christmas In Italy

I asked Italian food blogger Lola Baldwin how she celebrates Christmas in Italy, where she lives with her son. She was kind enough to share her family tradition with us in great detail, and I thank her for doing so. She also shares a secret family recipe for Pasta al Tonno or Pasta with Tuna. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. 

Natale - The Italian Christmas, where families join hands in the kitchen and at the table

By Eleonora Baldwin

As tradition has it, my family all prepares Christmas meals—yes, plural. Each of us helps build a monumental glorification of food and togetherness by cooking lovely, typical foods, getting the family around the table, and eating ourselves silly.

The Christmas celebrations usually involve gathering family members, which is not commonly frequented during the rest of the year. And so table extensions seat far-removed cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, acquired siblings, second-marriage spouses, uncles and aunts, parents-in-law, boyfriends, girlfriends, nannies, single friends, and more.

La Vigilia

Let me explain when I use the plural form of Christmas meals. In southern Italy, where part of my family is from, the Louis IV Christmas banquet lasts two full days. Christmas Eve dinner follows the Christian fasting rule, so the menu is all fish.

At the very least, the dinner includes pasta with spicy tuna sauce, steamed or baked large salmon or sea bass, fresh baby sardines in lemon marinade, capitone eel, octopus casserole, and raw shellfish of all kinds.

A highlight of Neapolitan Christmas cuisine is the unusual Insalata di Rinforzo. This "reinforcement salad" mixes boiled cauliflower, anchovies, olives, and pickled giardiniera, all dressed in vinegar and olive oil. The name implies it’s a backup dish, but it rarely needs reinforcement. It may date back to a time when Napoli’s prosperity was for royalty, not for the common folk.

Beverages include spumante for the antipasto, barrels of wine, and dessert shots of homemade Limoncello or Nocino, a winter liqueur made from green, unripe walnuts. Despite its moderate alcohol content, Nocino can knock you out after one sip.

Pranzo di Natale

On December 25th, lunch continues with deep-fried vegetable antipasti, lasagna or crespelle with meat sauce, lamb, goose, or turkey, glazed onions, and roasted vegetables. Of course, there are desserts. Besides Panettone and Pandoro, I love Campanian Struffoli—fried dough balls glazed in honey. I also enjoy Roccocò biscuits, which are hard enough to break your jaw, and Sicilian Buccellati, soft, chewy biscuits filled with dried fruits, almonds, and pine nuts.

Another Natale essential is Torrone. A nougat confection, typically made of honey, sugar, and egg whites, with toasted almonds or other nuts mixed in, usually shaped into a rectangular tablet. Two varieties exist: the hard, compact block of whole almonds in a brittle granite mass, defining the torrone duro kind, and the soft (torrone morbido), which is similar but where the almonds are reduced to a soft paste.

The quantity of almonds in the mixture determines the product's quality (and price). Chocolate-covered and newer varieties exist, like pistachio and lemon icing variations. Years ago, a popular candy manufacturer made a fortune with the invention of bite-size soft Torroncini, a highly addictive drug.

Pasta al Tonno

Pasta with tuna and tomato sauce is a Christmas Eve dinner staple, a summer surprise, and a delicious mix of Mediterranean flavors. My stepfather, Sergio, has the signature recipe. Over the years, I’ve carefully watched him prepare it, and it has become a beloved family tradition.

Here is the recipe for Nonno Sergio’s famous pasta and his contribution to the all-fish Christmas Eve meal. After some resistance, I finally got permission to share it.

Sergio begins by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. While the water heats up, he pours 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a wide pan over low heat. He adds three peeled garlic cloves and two chili peppers, allowing the oil to absorb the flavors. The garlic will darken but must not burn—if it does, Sergio suggests starting over. Next, he adds half a tablespoon of anchovy paste, stirring it into the oil.

He then adds a 14-oz can of tomato sauce, cooking it gently and letting it simmer for five minutes. Meanwhile, Sergio opens a 2-cup can of oil-packed tuna, draining the excess oil and flaking the fish. He adds the tuna and a few salted capers to the sauce, covering it and letting it cook on low heat for another 10 minutes.

Once the water is boiling, Sergio adds 300g of spaghetti, cooking it for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. After draining, he combines the pasta with the sauce, allowing it to meld over high heat. Finally, he serves the pasta with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Grazie
Sergio!