I prefer the Christmas celebration to be on Christmas Eve, called La Vigilia (the Vigil) in Italian.
As for Christmas Day itself? I address this in other posts, but if I am hosting Christmas Day, I probably prefer the same type of food.
In Sicily, as in many parts of Italy, the Christmas Eve celebration is deeply rooted in Catholicism and tradition, and one of the most cherished customs is sharing a festive meal with family and friends on La Vigilia. This meal features fish, and/ or vegetarian content.
I originally wrote this post on December 20, 2012, to share the types of Sicilian fish dishes I might cook here in Australia on Christmas Eve (or during the festive period). And guess what? The traditions and recipes are just as relevant today, so I’m bringing it back to the spotlight for another festive season!
Italy is filled with centuries-old Catholic traditions of fasting and abstaining from meat on certain holy days, including Fridays, Good Friday and the Vigil of Christmas. Over time, this once-simple custom has evolved into the grand feast that marks the start of Christmas celebrations.
After the meal, many Italians head to Midnight Mass, to honour the holiday’s religious significance. While some choose to celebrate the vigil without attending Mass, others prefer to take part in the Mass service on Christmas Day itself. Regardless of when or how they celebrate, the spirit of togetherness and tradition for La Vigilia remains for families across Italy.
Italians typically have a more subdued occasion on Christmas Day, often visiting friends but keeping their meals light. In Australia, however, for numerous Italians Christmas Day is widely celebrated, especially in multicultural marriages and for larger families.
I have many readers from U.S. who are probably wondering if for La Vigilia (Christmas Eve) I will take part in the so-called The Feast of the Seven Fishes.
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a tradition which is strong among Italian Americans of Sicilian and Southern Italian background that they strongly adhere to.This tradition is particularly present in the Northeast U.S. (such as New York and New Jersey) and practiced in various forms in other parts of U.S.
It involves a big meal with a variety of seafood dishes, typically featuring seven different types of fish or seven different courses, although some families may serve more or fewer depending on their traditions.
I first encountered The Feast of the Seven Fishes through a conversation with Mary Taylor Simeti who was visiting Australia for a Food and wine Festival when we were both interviewed by Jane O’Connor for an article in the December 2010 issue of Italianicious. We were asked what we had on our tables on Christmas day and we both said that we generally ate lightly as we liked to celebrate on Christmas Eve.
Mary, is a revered voice in Sicilian cuisine and culture, is a brilliant and widely published writer and historian whose insights into the food of Sicily are unparalleled. She has written very notable books and articles in Italian and English. She is originally American, has married a Sicilian and lives in Sicily, and has done so for many years. She is a strong Sicilian voice. As we sat down to discuss the tradition, I couldn’t help but feel intrigued by this notion, though both Mary and I were quick to admit that we had never encountered it in Sicily itself. In all our cumulative years (especially Mary’s) of experience with Sicilian food and culture, The Feast of the Seven Fishes had not appeared on a Sicilian table.
And why is seven the significant number? That’s anybody’s guess, and it is fun to speculate.
While the number “seven” is not strictly required, it holds significant symbolic meaning. In Catholicism, the number seven is considered sacred, representing the seven days of Creation, the seven sacraments, the seven virtues or deadly sins, or perhaps the seven hills of Rome.
In my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking, and on my blog you’ll find a range of recipes perfect for Christmas Eve. I really like the idea of preparing several courses, and it’s easy to start with something light like a vegetarian dish (bring on grilled zucchini, eggplants and peppers or a Caponata or Parmigiana!) or a seafood salad or fish—thinly sliced, raw and marinaded.
A small serve of a seafood pasta could follow or some other light serving of rolled fish or a baked fish or a baccalà (salted cod) dish. Baccala is traditionally eaten in many parts of Italy including in Trieste where I lived as a child. In many parts of Italy. eel is also popular.
There are also many recipes that could be useful for this holiday period on my blog. Here are only a few:
A SEAFOOD CHRISTMAS – BUON NATALE ( ***There are numerous recipes in this Post. I was interviewed on ABC with Fran Kelly Dec 2011)
Pasta dishes I particularly like preparing:
PASTA CON LE SARDE, an iconic Sicilian recipe from Palermo. Cooked at Slow Food Festival Melbourne
SPAGHETTI WITH CRAYFISH OR CRAB (Spaghetti con Aragosta o Granco)
PASTA CON BOTTARGA ( Pasta with Grated Bottarga)
MONTALBANO’S PASTA WITH BLACK INK SAUCE
PESCE ALLA GHIOTTA (Sicilian Fish, a recipe to satisfy the gluttons)
Mussels with Sambuca– anice flavoured liqueur)
GAMBERI AL COGNAC (Prawns cooked with cognac or brandy)
BAKED BACCALÀ (Baccalaru ‘o fornu – Sicilian and Baccalà al forno- Italian)
FISH BRAISE WITH TOMATOES, GARLIC, RED CHILLIES AND ANCHOVIES
RICH FISH SOUP FROM SYRACUSE COOKED IN THE OVEN
PER NATALE, COSA SI MANGIA? At Christmas, what do you eat?
CAPONATA SICILIANA (CATANESE; Caponata as made in Catania)
CAPONATA Catanese (from Catania) made easy with photos
CASSATA (It is perfect for an Australian Christmas) CASSATA DECONSTRUCTED – a postmodernist take on Sicilian Cassata
CHRISTMAS DOLCI and DOLCETTI and Pistachio Shortbread Biscuit
GIUGGIULENA (also CUBBAITA) – a brittle Sicilian toffee of sugar and honey with sesame seeds and almonds
Dear Marisa
I love your blog and was interested to see your reference to Montalbano. I hope it is ok that I have included a link to your blog on the ‘Sicilian food’ page of the website http://www.montalbano.com.au. Best wishes!
Yes, Thank you. I also have a post called MONTALBANO’S PASTA WITH BLACK INK SAUCE.