‘Tis the season for festivities, food and togetherness. As of 8th December, Christmas in Italy officially commences. This day is known as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a national holiday that signals the beginning of the Italian festive season.
This period is marked by a series of events, traditions and activities all over Italy. In Gubbio, Umbria, the world’s largest Christmas tree is lit up; in Assisi, the basilica and ancient streets come alive with live nativity scenes (presepi). Elsewhere, Tuscany’s small towns and villages welcome the season with artisan markets and their own unique traditions.
If you’ve ever wondered what Christmas looks like in Italy, a country that’s mentally associated with summer more than winter, you’re in for a treat. Family comes first, of course. Christmas is less about flashy commercial displays and more about simply being together. Only then does the food take centre stage – a three-day feast shaped by local traditions, held over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
For a glimpse of festive Italy, we’ve gathered three local recipes. Festive dishes vary from region to region, and even family to family. Though it’s difficult to choose the ultimate, reigning Christmas recipe – a conversation that’s up for debate all over Italy – these have to be a highlight. Buon Natale!
Christmas Eve in Italy
Linguine con Burro e Alici
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
320g Linguine (Bronze Die Cut)
100g-120g Unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
100g High Quality Preserved Anchovies (in olive oil)
1 Tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 garlic clove
Preparation:
Step 1: Boil a large pot of water and add salt. Be sure to taste the water. Once it has reached boiling point, set a timer for one minute less than the packet instructions.
Step 2: Add oil and a whole white clove of garlic to a large pan on a low flame. Once the garlic begins to simmer, add anchovies and let them melt. Have a few cubes of cold butter ready for the next step.
Step 3: Once the timer’s up, taste the pasta for preference, making sure it isn’t chalky. Use tongs to put it in a separate pan with the anchovies. Add a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid and add two cubes of butter at a time whilst tossing the pasta in the pan, adding more water as needed.
Step 4: Once 100g butter has been added, taste for richness. Toss the remaining 20g in if needed.
“Chef’s tip: It should be emulsified at this point - salty and delicious.”
Step 5: Use the tongs to twirl it into towers on a plate. Pour over the remaining anchovy butter. Then top each peak with a delicate mount of finely chopped parsley.
Christmas Day in Italy
Baccalà with Onions, Pine nuts, Sultanas and Saffron
Serves: 4
Chef’s tip: The preparation needs to start three days beforehand.
Ingredients:
700g Salt Cod
1 large White Onion
100g Pine nuts
100g Sultanas
1 Clove Garlic
10 strands of Saffron
2 Glasses of White Wine
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Black Pepper
Preparation:
Step 1: Submerge the salt cod in cold water in a container. Cover and place in the fridge. Change the water 3 times a day, for 3-4 days.
Chef’s tip: “The cod should be plump and not smell salty in any way. This shows it has been adequately desalinated.”
Step 2: Cut the fillet into four pieces and remove any obvious pin bones. Rinse them one more time to remove any residual salt on the surface. Pat them dry with kitchen paper.
Step 3: Slice the onion finely and put it into a wide and heavy-based pan (with high sides), along with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Place on a low heat.
Step 4: Once they have softened, remove them onto a plate and put aside. Dust the fillets very lightly with flour and pat off the excess. Turn up the heat, add some more olive oil and fry the fillets gently on both sides, being careful whilst flipping as they are delicate.
Step 5: Rearrange them so they are skin side down, re-add the onions and sultanas, freshly cracked pepper and the white wine. As soon as a bubble forms, turn the heat all the way down and place a circle of wet parchment on top. Add a lid so it cooks as gently as possible.
Step 6: Soak the saffron strands in three tablespoons of boiling water. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and add the saffron and the water, then give the pan a shake to distribute it evenly.
Chef’s tip: “It should be a very pale yellow, we want the saffron to be barely there, but it will lift the saltiness. You know the fish is ready when it starts to separate into flakes, and the sultanas will be rehydrated and juicy. Sprinkle over the pine nuts to finish.”
Step 7: Serve with mashed or roast potatoes, a side of greens and use a spoon to use up the residual cooking juices.
The Perfect Italian Christmas Pudding
Zabaione with Pandoro / Pandoro allo Zabaione
Serves: 4
Made by whisking together egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine, Zabaione is one of Italy's most scrumptious custard desserts. But “Zabaione with Pandoro” is different - offering a festive twist formed into a star-shaped, buttery cake (the Pandoro part). Here’s a recipe to bookmark for future reference.
Ingredients:
5 egg yolks
7 Tbsp Caster Sugar
10 Tbsp Marsala
A pinch of ground cinnamon
Chef’s tip: The Zabaglione is usually served cold in cups, but for this occasion I make it in the moment and ladle it over slices of Pandoro while it is still hot.
Preparation:
Step 1: Add the yolks and the sugar to a glass bowl. With a handheld or electric, whisk and beat them together until they are pale and creamy.
Step 2: Place the glass bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water to create a bain marie. The bowl should fit snugly and there should only be an inch or two of water.
Chef’s tip: It’s important that it doesn’t touch the base of the bowl.
Step 3: Add the pink of cinnamon and the marsala wine. Beat with the whisk on high until it holds and gets frothy.
Step 4: Ladle it over the pandoro at the table to finish your Christmas eve dinner.
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