The Christmas dinner is the perfect occasion to sit with the whole family together at the table. Traditions also have their importance in the kitchen. From zelten agnolotti, eel and tortellini. In the same way there are many traditional Italian dishes at Christmas.

Fish for Christmas dinner

As for the dishes and traditions, especially at Christmas, in Italy the table is never empty. Families are ready to get together and it is difficult to get up from the table during the holidays. Let's say immediately that in the Central and South Italy, in fact, we prefer to celebrate with the Christmas Eve dinner. On the other hand, lunch on the 25th is a must in the North. Similarly, there are very specific rules regarding the food we eat during the Christmas period. In fact, on the evening of 24 it is a tradition to prepare a lean dinner. It is especially based on fish.

fish stall
For the Christmas dinner, fish is a must. Picture from Wikipedia, author: Silvestro Barbato flower

To resume the theme of Christmas Eve, the 24th is a fish-based shopping day. Particularly in demand are eel, codfish, and finally salmon. But shellfish such as shrimps and prawns, gratins and more are also very popular. Although these are the ingredients, the processes are varied. In the different Italian regions there are those who prefer to put fried food on the table, those who exalt the tradition and those who love to experiment.

Christmas Eve menu

Christmas Eve menu, to be honest, is full of many courses. The first courses include lobster linguini. A refined and tasty seafood dish, perfect for the occasion. Similarly, a variant of this dish is to cook the delicate lobster pulp in a tomato sauce. The sauce is enhanced by the intense flavor of the fish broth derived from the lobster shells. An alternative is baked paccheri. Pasta, cooked with mozzarella and anchovies, is a typical recipe from Southern Italy.

christmas dinner - lobster linguine

The recipe, in particular, combines the goodness of mozzarella with the sea scent of anchovies. Then we move on to the second courses. Stewed eel must not miss because it is a typical dish of the Christmas period. While those who prefer traditional main courses prepare a spectacular guinea fowl with pomegranate. Instead, those who love fish prefer creamed cod with slices of grilled polenta. Even covered with a strong garlic cream, the code is very successful. Finally, among the desserts there are Christmas cookies. To tell the truth, tradition wants them in the shape of a star and a snowflake.

christmas dinenr - christmas biscuits
Cookies and photo by Ester Candlestick Sugar Design

In fact, they are a fun recipe to make at home together with children. But they can also be prepared in other forms. The biscuits with a chocolate mixture and a tuft of whipped cream are particularly tasty to define the decoration.

How to organize dinner at home

Christmas Eve is now near. In fact, days fly by very fast and the anxiety of preparing the Christmas dinner rises. To be honest, you don't need to stress yourself, but instead you have to think about organizing everything in advance. At the beginning it is good to take notes and plan everything in detail. This avoids the anxiety of the unexpected. So notebook in hand and start with a list of things to do. In the same way you have to think and choose the menu in order to plan the shopping for the Christmas dinner. But even more important is to opt for classic recipes that take a long time.

christmas dinner - Set table

Once the recipes are chosen, a detailed list of the ingredients you need is made in order to better organize the shopping. You can also cook in advance all that is possible to anticipate. Finally, you have to find someone to help you. This avoids catalyzing the entire organization on one person and makes the organizers more peaceful and serene. In the end it's nice to receive guests with a nice smile of satisfaction. At the same time, you are happy and proud of the good work you have done.

Christmas dinner between the culinary delights and traditions last edit: 2019-12-27T10:41:30+01:00 da Angelo Franchitto

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