I had the great fortune to marry into a wonderful Italian family from Genoa, Italy.
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year in Italy when cities sparkle and all Italians anticipate the wonderful foods to come. The festivities last from Saturday, Dec. 24 through Friday, Jan. 6 with families all gathering and reuniting from all over the country. It is very much the same for our family here in Sonoma. Our relatives come to the Valley from all over to celebrate the season together. A huge part of our Italian traditions are the wonderful foods that speak of the season.
Our favorite meal is the traditional Christmas Eve Dinner. It is a light meal with no meat and lots of wonderful seafood. We will fill the table with tuna, octopus salad, and, of course, baccalà. Along with the abundance of fish, we will also serve some very simple pasta dishes. We love to celebrate the “Feast of the Seven Fishes.” I will do seven different types of fish for Christmas Eve. This feast is actually an Italian American tradition. Being from the Genoa, gnocchi and agnolotti are some of the family favorites. A large, warm pot of bagna cauda is always served with crostini or fresh vegetables.
Our next grand meal is Christmas Lunch. We will sit for hours with everyone around the table. This is our most elegant meal with lovely linens, Noni’s china and family crystal. I start the meal with a classic antipasto with cured meats, olives and cheese, followed by a sumptuous pasta course. It might be baked pasta with ragù or a simple homemade pasta with pesto. My family adores a classic Lasagne verde alla Bolognese or my famous mushroom lasagna. Then we follow with a roasted veal, or braised beef or even a perfectly roasted chicken with potatoes. All in all, truly a feast!
On Friday, Jan. 6, we celebrate Little Christmas or the Epiphany. The Epiphany marks the arrival of the Three Wise Men at the baby Jesus’s manger. My children all leave their stockings up from Christmas and wake up to find gifts from the Italian Christmas witch, La Befana.
If they were not good, La Befana left them a lump of coal! My favorite dish from the Epiphany is the Epiphany Tart. But you don’t have to wait to make this delicious tart. It can be served year round!
Buon natale e un felice anno nuovo!
Classic Bagna Cauda
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
10 salt-cured anchovy filets, rinsed, boned and finely chopped
Kosher salt
Assortment of raw, cut-up cauliflower, carrots, celery, radicchio, and radishes
Heat oil and butter in a pot over medium-high heat until butter begins to foam. Add garlic; cook for 10 seconds. Reduce heat to medium-low and add anchovies. Cook, stirring and mashing anchovies with a wooden spoon, until anchovies are broken into very small pieces and dip is cloudy, 3–4 minutes. Season with salt to taste and serve immediately as a dip for an assortment of raw vegetables.
Lisa Lavagetto is “chef ambassador” at Ramekins Culinary Center and teaches several classes in Italian cooking.
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