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 and even if you’re not of Italian heritage it’s a festive and delicious way to entertain for Christmas Eve.
The recipes we’ve adopted into our non-Italian family include mussels, clams, shrimp, squid, scallops, cod and snail salad (scungilli).
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.
Sicilian-Style Citrus Scallops- Citrus and fresh herbs flavor this quick easy scallop dish made in the Sicilian style.Secondo (Second Course)
Baked Stuffed Shrimp- Baked stuffed shrimp is a popular restaurant dish that's easy to make at home and makes a great choice for a special occasion meal. 
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)
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.
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