In Italy Christmas sounds, and tastes, pretty good

Jeff Green | Dec 16, 2010

Photo Left: detail of the Presepio (the Nativity), at the Palace of Caserta in Napoloi.

Italian Christmas traditions are tied to the vibrant Italian culture, and to its central role in the development of the Catholic faith.

The language itself adds an extra dimension to some of the most basic of Christmas terms, from the baby Jesus, (Gesu Bambino) to Father Christmas (Babbo Natale).

La Befana is a figure that is unique to Italy. Historically, she was the one who brought Christmas presents to Italian children, on the Epiphany, January 6, which tradition says is the day the Magi brought their gifts to Gesu Bambino.

La Befana is a figure that seems more likely to be seen at Halloween than Christmas. She is an old woman, covered in soot, with a broom stick. But, historically, she was the Italian Santa Clause, filling stockings by the fireplace on the Epiphany.

There are a number of accounts about who La Befana is. The following two are told by Francesca di Megli, an American of Sicilian descent:

“Legend has it that she was an old Italian grandma-type happily cleaning her house, when three men showed up at her door. No fool, she was sceptical. She shooed them away when they said they were searching for Baby Jesus, the newborn king. After a little while, she had second thoughts. Perhaps, the men were honest and telling the truth. If so, she missed her chance to help them reach the king. She decided she should try to catch up with them. But they were long gone. So, she handed out gifts to all of the children in the neighbourhood in the hopes that one of them was Jesus. Every year she goes to look for the three wise men - and most importantly Baby Jesus. When she does, she leaves little surprises for the little Italian girls and boys.

Some say she didn't go with the wise men because she had chores to do. Others believe she promised to find them after she finished the housework. Still others have an entirely different version of the story.

I've also heard that La Befana was a mother to a son who lived in King Herod's day. Herod reportedly decreed that each male child born was to be killed because one of them could be the new king. La Befana was so traumatized when her son was murdered that she didn't believe he was really killed. She set out in search of him, carrying all of his belongings in a sack.

She quickly aged from worry - her face became wrinkled, her hair turned gray and she grew to look like an old, haggard lady. She finally found a male baby in a manger and she laid out her son's belongings at the baby's feet. The baby was Jesus Christ. And He blessed the lady as “Befana,” the giver of gifts. After that, every year on Jan. 5, the eve of the Epiphany, she would be mother to all of the world's children and would care for them by bringing them treats.”

The Presepio is the Italian representation of the Nativity scene, and it is similar to the crèche that is common elsewhere in Europe and in North America, however it is more elaborate, and includes a much larger number of figures.

Anthony Parente has written about the Presepio in Italiansrus.com.

“One thing we know for certain is that the popularity of the Nativity scene did not occur until after St. Francis re-enacted what many believe was the first living Nativity. St. Francis asked for and got permission from Pope Honorius III to hold a special celebration during Christmas. With the help of Giovanni Velita they prepared for this special celebration, which would take place on Christmas Eve in 1223 at the monastery at Greccio. On that night a child was placed in a crib as an ox and donkey stood nearby. Those who came to watch got to witness for themselves the miracle that occurred 1,223 years ago in the small town of Bethlehem.”

In the City of Napoli the tradition of the Presepio over the last few hundred years has become a regional art form and industry.

“The life-size figures in many of the churches and monasteries were made of wood and were beautifully crafted. In addition to wood, hemp wrapped in wire was used to create the body that would be covered in garments. The remaining parts of the body that were unclothed were made with terracotta. However they were made, they were done with exquisite craftsmanship and beauty. Some of the most impressive scenes can be seen inside the Royal Palace of Caserta and the Museo Nazionale di San Martino,” - Anthony Parente

Not to be outdone, there are parallel Presepio traditions in Sicily and Rome, which feature local materials and the local landscape.

Feasting on Fish

Italian cuisine has, if anything gained more attention in recent years as people start to think about local food and slow food. In Italy, as the result of the local culture, the soil, the sun and the sea, slow food is as normal as McDonalds is in North America.

Christmas time is no exception, of course.

Historically, Christmas Eve was a fast day in Italy, but the Italian definition of fasting seems to be different from that of other peoples.

As the food writer Mario Batali said of Christmas Eve dinner, which takes all evening to eat, leading up to midnight Mass: “It's what Italians do when they are fasting; they eat course after course of luxurious seafood dishes, often as many as 7, 10, or even 13. I'm not quite sure about the significance of the number. Some families do 7 for the sacraments. Some do 10 for the Stations of the Cross. And some even do 13 for the apostles plus Jesus.”

There are, of course, regional variations to the Feast of the 7 Fishes, but the format is more or less constant, an antipasto course, follow by a pasta course, then the secondi, normally the meat course, but in the Feast of the Fishes it would often include salt cod and baked eel. Meal is finished off with the only fish-free course, dolci or dessert.

I called Rosemarie Bowick, who happens to be our landlord here at the News. Rosemarie is a Canadian of Italian and Ukrainian descent. When she was growing up on Preston Street in Ottawa, Christmas Eve dinner was meatless. If there were visitors coming the meal started with a simple antipasto – melon, bread and olives and cheese. Afterwards the tradition was to have pasta with a tomato sauce and cod (or halibut if it was available), smelts with green beans and salad, rice and lentil soup, perhaps followed by a savoury Ricotta Pie. Dessert was deep-fried pastry and very thin anise flavoured biscuits. Another dessert option is spumoni ice cream topped with Spumante (sparkling wine). Unlike what I found in my research there is no seafood in Rosemarie Bowick’s traditions, but there is a reason for that - she is allergic to shellfish.

Rosemarie said that when she was a child Christmas Eve dinner was served early, at around 6 o’clock, and then the children were put to bed, only to be woken up at about 11:15 or 11:30 to get dressed and to church for midnight Mass. Afterwards they would start their Christmas partying by opening presents, and maybe having a little bite to eat before finally going to bed at 2:00 or 2:30 in the morning.

Recipes

We have included a couple of recipes that Rosemarie Bowick wouldn’t use, but are options for a feast of the seven fishes meal for seafoood lovers.

SEAFOOD ANTIPASTO 

There are as many recipes for this as there are kitchens. This dish can either be prepared in advance, in which case it is a marinated antipasto, or served fresh to the table.

Below is recipe for fresh antipasto, from Mario Batali, who has a pretty strong web presence.

Ingredients

6 medium shrimp, cleaned and peeled 6 small mussels, bearded and scrubbed 6 large clams, bearded and scrubbed 6 small razor clams, bearded and scrubbed 6 large mussels, bearded and scrubbed 6 small calamari, cleaned and gutted 1 small (1 pound) lobster 1 pound crab meat 1 cup extra virgin olive oil Juice and zest of 4 lemons 1 tablespoon hot chili flakes 2 bunches Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/2 cup

Directions:

Bring 6 quarts water to boil and set up an ice bath.

Cook shrimp for 1 1/2 minutes and plunge into ice bath. Cook calamari 1 minute and do the same. Cook lobster for 8 minutes and then cool in ice bath.

In a large saute pan, place mussels and clams with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and steam, removing each shellfish as it opens until they are all done. Discard those shellfish which do not open. Keeping each open shellfish separate, dress each individually with 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, a touch of lemon juice, a pinch of chilies and 1 to 2 tablespoons parsley. Do the same with the crab meat. Arrange all the seafood on a big platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

You can omit just about any of the ingredients in this dish and will still taste delicious (note the number of lemons that are required)

ZUPPA DI PESCE

I'm including a recipe for fish soup or stew, partly because I want to make it myself, but also because the instructions are simple and the ingredients variable. Literally, any fish will do. The recipe stresses fresh fish, but in our area that is not always possible, but there is frozen seafood in just about every store, and if using frozen, the key is to run it under cold water until it is fully defrosted

Cacciucco is a fish stew made in the Tuscan port of Livorno, from whatever the fishmonger has that's fresh and inexpensive. It should have a healthy jolt of red pepper, and will sell you on fish if you don't like fish already. To serve 4:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds of mixed fish (see list below) A half a medium onion, minced 2 cloves garlic A bunch of parsley, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil 3/4 pound sliced fresh or canned plum tomatoes (if they're fresh, blanch and peel them) 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar diluted in 3/4 cup of water Salt and crumbled or minced hot red pepper to taste Toasted Italian bread rubbed with garlic

Preparation:

The Fish:

Whatever is in season (it needn't be expensive), for example, sole, mullet, catfish, dogfish, goby, squid, octopus, fresh shellfish (see The Joy of Cooking for treatment instructions), and shrimp. Chop the large fish, but leave the small ones whole.

Procedure:

Sauté the onion, parsley, and garlic in the oil in a deep-bottomed pot. Once the onion has turned translucent, stir in the chopped tomatoes and season the mixture to taste. This is one of the few hot North Italian dishes, so don't feel you must be sparing with the red pepper. When the tomatoes are done, stir in the water and vinegar. Simmer them for a few more minutes and remove the garlic. Blend the sauce and return it to the fire with the fish, and, if you wish, sprinkle another tablespoon or two of olive oil into the pot. Simmer the cacciucco until the fish is done, 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, toast several slices of bread and rub them with a crushed clove of garlic.

Once the fish is done, line the bottoms of your bowls with the toasted bread, ladle the cacciucco over them, and serve.

A final point about Italian Christmas. We don't have space to talk about desserts, but some Italian traditions included variations on quick fried sweet dough dipped in spiced sugar and nuts.

One Italian food that needs to be mentioned is Pannetone, which is to Italy what Stollen is to Germany or Fruitcake to the British Isles. The easiest way to make Pannetone is not to. In many grocery stores, including Canadian stores, piles of colourful boxes with string handles on top appear at this time of year, They contain Pannetone, a light, yeasted cake with nuts or dried fruits inside.

All you have to do is buy one of these, and eat it on Christmas morning with tea or coffee.

Pannetone is not that difficult to make either, no more so than bread, but is even easier to buy.

Final, final point: Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine, is another Christmas Day tradition that is worth considering for a proper Christmas celebration.