ITALIAN FESTIVITY FOOD AND WINE
christmas & easter
Discover the varied food traditions observed in Italy during the Christmas & Easter period, and how each region approaches the festive season
CHRISTMAS
S
Considering that is 96 per cent Catholic, it is not surprising that Christmas & Easter are treated as a very important occasions. In addition to the religious traditions, the festivities centre on spending time with friends and family – the gathering of loved ones has a heavy focus on food.
Christmas
The big meal for Christmas in Italy are: Christmas Eve feast. 24th (no meat!!!) Christmas Lunch :25th
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food Depending on the region, the traditional recipes cooked will vary enormously. In Emilia-Romagna, for example, the most typical dish consists of tortellini or cappelletti stuffed with a meaty filling.
food
After the tortellini, the celebrated cotechino di Modena is often served. This is a large, fresh pork sausage containing pork meat, pork fat and pork rind. After hours of boiling, it is often served with creamy mashed potatoes or lentils.
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Alternatively, there is bollito misto – a huge combination of different kinds of meat, offal and poultry, boiled together and served hot with mustard fruits or various sauces.
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Moving further south, you are likely to experience a very different meal. In Rome and the surrounding region of Lazio, for example, freshwater fish is traditionally served as a Christmas main course, In the southern Basilicata, they go for 13 Christmas courses, all based on fish, whereas the Tuscan Christmas menu is often made up of game dishes.
Panettone VS Pandoro - The Christmas Cakes Battle
This is a real dilemma in many Italian families, often split between panettone lovers and pandoro lovers. The first faction finds pandoro to be too simple and buttery, the second group usually hates raisins and candied fruits which abound in panettone. There is only one peaceful solution: you buy both!
PANDORO Pandoro is a Christmas cake that originated in Verona. True to its name (pan d’oro means ‘golden bread’), the cake has a bright yellow color. Pandoro is traditionally a star-shaped cake that is dusted with powdered sugar.
PANETTONE Panettone is a Christmastime cake that hails from Milan. The cake dough requires several hours to make because it must be cured in a way similar to sourdough, rising and falling three times before being baked. The sweet, yeasty treat has a distinctive domed shape. Panettone is often compared to fruitcakes because both are traditionally made with raisins and candied fruits.
EASTER In Italy, Easter Sunday is a nationally observed holiday, but the Monday immediately after is also a national holiday, called Pasquetta (literally “Little Easter”) The usual custom on Pasquetta is to go out—usually for a picnic; though, many choose to eat at a restauran
EASTER The feast on Easter Sunday is a culmination of weeks of religious rituals as well as homage to spring. Typically, in Italy, the Pasqua table is vibrant with the fresh colors of early spring—decorated with flowers or peach tree stems and beautiful, colored boiled eggs.
INGRIDIENTS Artichokes Asparagus Chard Fava Beans Young green beans Spinach Lettuce
EASTER There is no typical antipasto or even primo piatto (first course) for Pasqua. But, since this is the season for early produce, young cured meats and cheeses, these are usually served in some form.
EASTER FOOD
Fried Artichokes, Insalata di Polpo (Octopus Salad), Torte Pasqualine (savory Easter pies), Baked Pasta,Uovo;Lamb,Colomba,Pastiera Napoletana
The Meanings Behind Easter Eats
LAMB its significance is based both in Christianity and Paganism, when Easter did not exist but a celebration of the spring equinox did. In Christian theology, lamb symbolizes Jesus' self sacrifice as the "Lamb of God.
The Meanings Behind Easter Eats
it wouldn't be Easter without eggs. According to The Catholic Encyclopedia, in early Christianity, eggs were one of the forbidden items to eat during Lent. So they were one of the first things consumed in celebration of the end of Lent. Eggs also symbolized the rebirth of mankind through Jesus' self-sacrifice.