Christmas in central Italy: gastronomic traditions

Italian Christmas traditions are an enchantment that unfolds from the top of the Alps to the beaches of Sicily.

We will explore the rich and fascinating culinary customs that make Christmas in Italy a very special time.

The second leg of our journey takes us to the Center.

Emilia-Romagna

In the heart of &' Italy, l&' Emilia-Romagna, celebrate Christmas with a table full of delicacies.

Here, as in many other regions, Christmas Eve is the main time of the holidays. Dinner begins with tortellini and passatelli

in broth.

As a second course, the Modena cotechino or zampone with lentils are usually served.

Among the desserts, the favorite is Panone Bolognese, with quinces, honey, dark chocolate and dried figs.

Tuscany

Tuscany is renowned for its rustic and tasty cuisine, and Christmas is no exception.

The festivities begin with l&' Tuscan appetizer, in which the famous of livers stand out, grilled slices of bread seasoned with fatty liver d&' duck, and a splash of d& #39 oil; olive.

Among the culinary specialties, bardiccio stands out, a pork sausage flavored with fennel, traditionally cooked on the grill after midnight.

Tuscans have a real passion for Christmas desserts, and one of the most loved is panforte di Siena, a rich blend of nuts, almonds, honey and spices.

Marche

In the Marche region, Christmas is celebrated with culinary delicacies such as Vincisgrassi, a delicious timbale cooked in the oven, enriched with a rich sauce consisting of various meats (chicken, ham, ground beef) and mushrooms, or with stuffed gnocchi.

To end the meal in a sweet way, you can't miss the whip, made with dried fruit and figs, and Natà's pizza, a local variation of panettone, embellished with seasonal ingredients such as nuts, raisins and pieces of chocolate.

Umbria

L&' Umbria, known as the “green heart d&' Italy”, offers Christmas culinary traditions based on fresh and genuine ingredients.

Stuffed pasta is the queen of festivities: from the delicious variations of chaplets stuffed with capon and pigeon to Umbrian cardi parmigiana, the Umbrian table is a riot of gastronomic tradition.

The Christmas dessert par excellence in Umbria is gingerbread.

Lazio

In Lazio, one of the main holiday dishes is l&' abbacchio, lamb cooked in various ways, but often stewed with aromas such as rosemary and garlic.

Roman yellow bread is a typical holiday dessert that has ancient origins, dating back to imperial Rome. It is customary to prepare it on the day of the winter solstice as a good omen for the return of long sunny days, a shape that is somewhat reminiscent of

this dessert.

The Christmas food and wine traditions of Central Italy are a real hymn to taste, a journey through regional cuisines that bring unique flavors and traditional dishes to the table.

Angela Cordioli