Holiday Menu: An Italian Christmas Eve

The Feast of the Seven Fishes

Serving a multi-course seafood dinner on Christmas Eve (La Vigilia) is a wonderful holiday mealtime tradition that originated in Southern Italy. Known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes, a traditional Italian Christmas Eve is a celebration of the vigil awaiting the midnight birth of the baby Jesus. The dishes served vary from family to family. These recipes are the favorites we’ve adopted into our non-Italian family. Buon Natale!

Antipasti (Appetizers)

Steamed Mussels Italian-Style - Mussels steamed in garlic, onion and white wine is a classic preparation, full of flavor.

Clams Casino - Tender, sweet, littleneck clams topped with a combination of bacon, shallot, red bell pepper and white wine make a light, flavorful appetizer for an Italian-style dinner menu.

Primo (The Pasta Course)

Squid In Marinara Sauce Over Linguine - A simple pasta dish that can be served as part of a multi-course Italian dinner, or as a main dish alongside a salad to complete the meal.

Secondo (Second Course)

Stuffed Shrimp Oreganata-Style - Jumbo shrimp stuffed with a combination of fresh breadcrumbs, Italian seasonings, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

Sicilian-Style Citrus Scallops - Citrus and fresh herbs flavor this quick easy scallop dish made in the Sicilian style.

Baked Stuffed Cod - This foolproof recipe for cod fillets topped with a buttery blend of fresh breadcrumbs, garlic and parsley is easy to make and sure to become a family favorite.

Contorno (Side Dish)

Snail Salad - Scungilli Salad is a delicious appetizer to serve with an authentic Italian meal.

Dolce (Dessert)

Orange Rosemary Biscotti - This is a delicious biscotti recipe, flavored with toasted pine nuts, rosemary, fresh orange zest and orange liqueur.

Limoncello Glazed Ricotta Cookies - These light, cake-like ricotta cookies are made are flavored with a bit of limoncello liqueur and are an all-time favorite for the holidays.

Italian Wine Biscuits - These delicious Italian cookies have subtle flavors of red wine, black pepper and a touch of salt and make a nice dessert course for an Italian menu served alongside fruit and cheese.