A feast for Natale

Celebrating Christmas, Italian Style

Christmas is almost here, and there are many preparations to be made if you have invited friends and family over to indulge and enjoy in the season.
Biblical historians suggest December 25 isn’t actually the correct birth date for Jesus, and point to September as the accurate date. The reason we celebrate in December is because of the pagan origins of Christmas. The ancient Babylons celebrated the feast of the Son of Isis (Goddess of Nature) on December 25. Plenty of food and gift-giving ushered in the day. When the Romans came to power, they celebrated Saturn, the God of Agriculture from December 17 to December 24. In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25 to give the pagan Romans (a majority at the time) a smoother transition to the new religion.
Christmas Eve is known as Vigilia di Magro in Italy, a time when meat-free dishes are prepared. Fish dominates on Christmas Eve, but as with all other Italian rituals, the Christmas Eve meal differs from region to region. Some parts of Italy still serve the traditional seven-fish platter, in honour of the seven sacraments, while others serve 12 types of fish for the 12 apostles.
A traditional Roman Christmas Eve dish is Capitone (roasted, grilled, fried or baked eel). Then there’s the elaborate caponata di pesce (fish salad). This dish involves quite a bit preparation but it’s a feast that won’t soon be forgotten.
On Christmas Day, meat takes over. In North American Italian homes, baccala (salt cod) is very popular. The salt cod fillets are fried until golden. In a bowl, beat an egg, flour, garlic cloves, chopped parsley and black pepper. Dip the fillets in the mixture, then fry on medium-high heat.
A zuppa is a great starter course because it will warm everyone up. Forget about starch-heavy soups or creamy soups because they’ll end up feeling like a main meal. Think of aromatic veggies like tomato or fennel. Zucchini is also great. Thickly sliced zucchini are combined with onions, garlic, chicken stock, basil and salt and pepper to taste for a winter soup. However, if you do want to have a combination zuppa/first course meal, then Cioppino might do the trick. This is a decadent fish soup that hails from Emilia-Romagna. The zuppa typically includes mussels, crab and shrimp.
Side dishes also add to the holiday cheer. Zeppole are southern-Italian fried dough treats that can be eaten as is or filled with anchovies, or a mixture of sliced olives, garlic, tuna and parsley. A colourful side dish is Torta Verde (green pie). The dish is appropriately named since this pie is filled with sautéed greens, so it will add to the festive season.
Lasagna is always a popular item at the Christmas Day table. Second course options include all things meaty like agnello (lamb), which has always had a connection to Christianity. The lamb is marinated overnight in white wine, salt and pepper. It’s then cooked with onions, potatoes and carrots.
When you think of the holidays, you inevitably think of the never-ending morsels of treats that are synonymous with yuletide cheer. And there’s a plethora of Italian dolci to choose from.
Desserts have a long and illustrious history in the boot-shaped country. The ancient Romans created the first pie, which was made from rye and wheat flour, honey and sheep’s milk. Cato the Elder, a 2nd century statesman recorded the recipe in De Agricola, his treatise on farming. The Romans also made thin, hard, unleavened cookies, which were often dipped in wine, and created honey cakes that were served at the end of elaborate dinners.
Panettone is perhaps the most famous of all Italian sweets. This cake doubles as a bread. Panettone is particularly delicious served toasted. If you want to change things up, simply add a delicious chocolate glaze to your panettone cake. Cut into thick slices and toast in the oven for about 20 minutes on low heat. Arrange on a platter. And now for the glaze: in a saucepan, melt chopped semisweet chocolate, whipping cream and amaretto liqueur. Stir until smooth. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Then spread over the panettone slices.
The Neapolitans are the masters of the famous Babà, which is actually Polish in origin. The rum pastry is the creation of the chef of the deposed king of Poland, who then brought it to Italy. Sienna is responsible for Panforte, an Italian classic that has many versions, but the basic ingredients are always almonds and chocolate. This crunchy decadent cake is wonderful with a cup of espresso or cappuccino on Christmas Day.
Another tasty festive dessert is Sicily’s Budino di ricotta, a creamy pudding made from ricotta, candied fruits, Marsala, cream and caster sugar. Decorate with orange rind.
Then there are Cherry Macaroons, which look festive on a platter. To make, you’ll need three egg whites and 1 cup of sugar. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Then add an additional cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 cup of shredded coconut. Beat until just combined. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Drop tablespoonfuls of mixture on paper. Top with halved maraschino cherries. Bake at 375F for 15 to 25 minutes, or until just golden.
Crème Brulee isn’t actually Italian, but it’s perhaps one of the most famous desserts of all time. You can give it some holiday cheer by adding festive garnishes like candied fruit, chopped mint leaves, crushed candy canes or shaved dark chocolate.u

Publication Date: 2007-12-16
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=7932