In the UK, Christmas Day is synonymous with roast turkey, potatoes and pudding, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a household that doesn’t follow some variation on that delicious theme. But what about Christmas Eve? Dinner on December 24th may consist of ham, or salmon, or any number of comforting and tasty dishes – it’s less rooted in tradition for the Brits, and that leaves room to play around a little. This year, why not try something new?
In Italy, Christmas Eve dinner typically consists of seafood – seven seafood dishes, to be exact. The Feast of the Seven Fishes represents authentic Italian food at its finest, with deep connections to enduring customs and local cuisine. Here’s how to bring this Italian tradition to your table this Christmas Eve, using vibrant, high-quality ingredients from Diforti’s Italian deli online.
A Brief History of the Feast
Italians abstain from meat on Christmas Eve, following the ancient Roman Catholic custom. Instead of a big roast, people in Italy prepare a feast of fish. However, the tradition of cooking seven different types of seafood may actually be Italian-American: in Italy, the number of courses often varies, as do the fish dishes served at the feast!
Seven Fish Dishes, Made Simple
Whatever its exact origins, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is a great way to bring together your family and friends for a creative, show-stopping meal. What’s more, there’s no singular set of dishes that must make up the feast, so you can tailor it to your own tastes! Check out this sample menu of simple seafood dishes and impress your guests with a variety of flavours:
Course One: Keep It Light
To begin the meal, serve a small dish of seafood salad marinated with parsley and garlic. This dish packs powerful flavour into a few small bites – after all, you’ve still got six courses to go!
Course Two: A Toast
Follow up the first course with a simple anchovy bruschetta: Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on slices of rustic bread, toast them and top with anchovies, chopped tomatoes, mozzarella and more olive oil.
Course Three: Elegant Simplicity
Seared scallops served with basil pesto are as visually appealing as they are delicious – don’t be surprised if your guests pause to Instagram their plates before digging in!
Course Four: Stunning Salmon
It’s time to take things to the next level. A gorgeous piece of roasted salmon drizzled with lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil is just the thing to wow everyone at your table.
Course Five: Bring on the Carbs
No Italian feast is complete without a pasta dish! Spaghetti with clams, white wine, garlic and a hint of chilli is crowd-pleasing and easy to make.
Course Six: Take a Break
Our stuffed squids are the perfect dish to serve as an interlude before the meal’s grand finale. Filled with crab surimi, mussels and prawns, they’re both light and flavourful – and since we prepare the squids ourselves, you don’t even have to run out to an Italian delicatessen in London and gather the ingredients to make them!
Course Seven: Stew, Italian-Style
The last course of the feast is the ultimate comfort food. There’s nothing like a hearty bowl of cioppino, a traditional Italian seafood stew, on a cold winter’s night. Add a white fish like cod to the soup to change it up!
Cooking up seven seafood dishes may sound ambitious, but Diforti’s Italian deli online makes it easy to try out this time-honoured Italian custom for yourself. Who knows? The Feast of the Seven Fishes may just become your family’s Christmas Eve tradition, too!