Christmas in the North: what are the food traditions?

The Italian Christmas traditions - here we present the typical sweets of the holidays - are a delight that unfolds from the peaks of the Alps to the beaches of Sicily. 

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

The first stop on our journey takes us to the North.

Aosta Valley

The Christmas table of the Aosta Valley is a true feast for the senses. The fondue, made with local cheeses such as Fontina and Toma, is a dish whose presence is indisputable. 

To accompany it, the famous Pane Nero di Saint-Vincent, a dark rye bread with an intense flavor cannot be missed.

But the real star of Christmas in the Aosta Valley is the roast kid, a delicious traditional dish that perfectly matches the crisp mountain air. 

The slowly cooked pork served with quince jelly is another Christmas classic.

Veneto 

The Venetian Christmas specialties are warm, flavorful, and enveloping. The sarde in saor, an appetizer, brings to the table the contrast between the fried sardines and the sweetness of raisins and pine nuts, all marinated in a mixture of vinegar and onions. 

The risotto alla trevigiana is a first course that combines the aroma of rice with the unique flavor of Treviso radicchio and butter. 

The baccalà mantecato, on the other hand, is a delicious second course prepared with cod that is soaked, cooked in milk and fish broth, and creamed with extra virgin olive oil and grated cheese. 

On Venetian tables, the pandoro is a must-have. 

Lombardy

Christmas Eve is a special moment for many Italian families, and in Lombardy, the festive dinner is a true spectacle. 

A traditional dish for Christmas Eve is the stuffed capon, a flavorful second course prepared with a long cooking time that makes the meat more tender. 

The capon broth is often followed by other dishes such as tortelli di zucca alla mantovana and casoncelli alla bergamasca.

Liguria

On Christmas Eve, Natalini in capon broth are prepared, a type of long macaroni with a smooth, porous surface and a diagonal cut, made with durum wheat semolina. 

The farinata, a type of chickpea flatbread, is a traditional side dish for this dinner.

Liguria families conclude the meal with Christmas sweets: pandolce and canestrelli. 

Piedmont

We continue our culinary journey through Christmas in Piedmont. Christmas Eve is a special moment, with the festive dinner featuring bollito misto, a dish of boiled meat served with sauces such as green sauce and Piedmontese mustard, a spicy fruit jam. 

Piedmontese Christmas sweets are an authentic delight, including bignole and sweets containing hazelnuts, such as nougats and pralines.

Trentino-Alto Adige

Trentino-Alto Adige, located among the magnificent Alps, offers a Christmas enveloped in a magical mountain atmosphere. Here, culinary traditions blend with Austrian and German influences. Christmas Eve is often characterized by canederli, bread dumplings served in broth, butter, or otherwise. 

The venison or roast kid is usually served as a second course.

Christmas sweets in Trentino-Alto Adige are rich and aromatic: like zelten, dried and candied fruits combined with pastry that are a must.

Friuli Venezia Giulia

In the heart of Friuli, the holidays bring traditional dishes such as brovada and muset, a delicacy made with turnips and cotechino served with polenta. The first courses include delicious plum gnocchi, while among the Christmas sweets stands the Gubana, a round cake with an irresistible filling of raisins, walnuts, pine nuts, and a touch of liquor.

In Northern Italy, the Christmas gastronomic traditions are a true spectacle of flavors and aromas that embrace the festivities with warmth and conviviality. Do you want to discover what happens in the center and in the south?

S&M