It shouldn't come as no surprise to learn that Christmas is a pretty important holiday in Italy. After all, Italians are some of the most religious people in the world. Not to mention the home of The Vatican. These alone should tell you just how significant this day is to them. But of course, when Italians are concerned, the topic of food always pops up, which makes one wonder—what do Italians eat during Christmas? Surely they hold a big feast for the special occasion! If so, what do they serve? Well, here's a handful of Italian Christmas dishes you might like to serve at home yourself.
Baccalà
Italian cuisine is known for its meats.
From breakfast to dinner, and everything else in between, Italian dishes are some of the meatiest and richest out there. But for Christmas, it's totally different. Christmas dinner is a lot lighter than most because seafood is the main star of the show. And among the many seafood dishes in Italy, the classic
Baccalà is a huge favorite. Virtually just salted cod, many Italians twist and turn the classic dish in their own special way, making it more delectable that's right for Christmas Day. Since it's a light dish, it's often served as one of the first courses in the meal.
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Seafood Linguine
Pasta is another Christmas favorite in Italian cuisine. Though
pasta is a common dish in the country—so much so that many Italians eat it every single day—for this special occasion, seafood linguine is the best choice. It's light and savory that can still fill one's stomach. Not to mention it
pairs well with Italian wine! More often than not, people would prepare huge servings of seafood linguine to last the entire holiday season. But, of course, it's best enjoyed right after it's prepared. You wouldn't want to miss out on some steamy shrimp and white sauce pasta, would you?
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Torrone
Candy is as
common a dessert in Italy during Christmas as any other. May might even argue that it's the more standard Christmas than, say,
gelato or cannoli. And among the many Italian candies on offer, torrone is the absolute must-have for this season. Both hard and chewy at the same time, this Italian-style nougat candy gives quite a sweet sesneationt hat's perfect for the holidays. It's also rich enough to make this special occasion yet light enough to want more than one. Not to mention it's as fun to make with family as it is enjoying them on Christmas day!
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Panettone
If torrone is a little bit too hard to enjoy for you, you can always go for a slice of panetonne. This candied loaf of bread is as traditional as any other, as well as oh so sweet and delectable. It can go head-to-head with
any French pastry you might get from Paris! That's how good panetonne is! Made with all sorts of fruits—the most common of which include dried cherries, orange, and lemon zest—you can actually compare it the more universally known fruit cake. Though many Italians would agree, the panetonne is much better in terms of sweetness and lightness. It'd go well with coffee on an early Christmas morning!
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Biscotti
While
the French have their calissons and the Americans have their gingerbread cookies, the Italians have biscotti. Yes, this famous cookie, that goes so well with coffee, is actually a common Christmas treat in Italy. The best part about it is that, though it's a dessert, it continues the lightness from the seafood main courses of the Italian Christmas menu. Though biscotti is infamously hard and crunchy, the flavor is often a nice balance of lightness and richness, making it perfect for an after-dinner treat for the holidays. And, of course, always a favorite to pair with a
nice cup of coffee!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Leave it to the Italians to know what the best dishes and desserts to serve for Christmas are. Italy, after all, has one of the best cuisines in the world. It's only natural that they'd know how to make quite the feast for one of the most important holidays of the year!
Hopefully, if you do get to go to Italy for the holidays, you'll rent a nice luxurious home to celebrate them in! That's the best way to do it here!
