My Ligurian Christmas recipes repertoire
Ciao!
how do you cook for Christmas? Are you of the team “I need to plan otherwise I don’t breath” (so you already know it since a couple of weeks) or of the “last minute adrenaline is so cool” ( so you will think about it just on the 22nd) team?
I'm in the between ‘cause I'm a traditionalist (what a surprise!). I have a dozen of reliable traditional family dishes - that I rotate each year and between the 24th and the 25th- and I pick among them almost at the very last minute!
Of course the meatless dishes are the one I prepare on Christmas Eve (if I have friends or family over) as according to Catholic Church this is a sacrifice day and consumption of animal derivates are forbidden (fish excluded).
If you are looking for some ideas – and we still have plenty of time to organize – this is my Christmas repertoire. Some recipes are not yet on the blog, so you will find the link to other reliable recipes I suggest you.
✨ Starters (as many as you wish J)
Insalata russa - potato Russian salad or Olivier salad): my granny must have, why don’t I have it on my blog yet?!
Salmone marinato - Dill marinated salmon or First quality smoked salmon with toasted bread and unsalted butter or
Scorzonera fritta - Fried salsify (salsify is a root commonly used in the past here in Liguria, I use to bread and deep fried it).
Fritti nell’ostia - Fritters in Communion wafer (English translation on the blog coming soon)
✨ First courses
Ravioli con tocco - Genoese ravioli with tocco (Ligurian meat sauce) or
Natalini in brodo – Maccaroni with capon stock or
Lasagne alla tabarchina – lasagna with pesto and tuna fish (meatless, for Christmas Eve)
✨ Main Courses
Cima ripiena – stuffed veal belly, or
Bibbinn-a pinn-a - roasted turkey , or
Cappone lesso – boiled capon served with fruit mustard, or
Cappon magro – Ligurian sea food salad (meatless, perfect for Christmas Eve), or
Spigola al sale – salt crusted sea bass
✨ Side dishes
Radici di Chiavari in insalata - Salsify salad
Patate in ta foglia – potatoes baked with leak and milk
✨ Desserts (the more the merrier!)
Pandolce – the traditional Genoa Christmas cake and
Anicini – anise flavored biscotti and/or
Latte dolce fritto – fried sweet milk and/or
Gobeletti – pastries stuffed with jam and/or
Croccante – almond crunchy nugat and/or
Sciumette – Italian Riviera traditional floating islands on pistachio custard
And then a plate full of nuts and dried fruit and chocolates, as Genoa Christmas tradition rules!
Plus coffee and amaro to seal the feast!
Finally, if you are looking for some inspiration also on how to decorate your Christmas table, here you can find a tutorial for a Genoese centerpiece made with bay leaves and dried fruit
And this is a tutorial for the Genoese Christmas decoration, “o ciumello” always made with bay leaves and dried fruits and pasta!
That's all for now!
Hope to have helped somehow in your Christmas planning!
Ciao!!
Enrica
Maybe we do not know me very well? Let me introduce myself again.
My name is Enrica, I was born and bred in Genoa, the capitol of the Italian Riviera.
I’m a culinary researcher and experience curator in Liguria.
After 15 years as an International lawyer I decided to change my life and started following my skills and interests: cooking, studying, making researches, writing and discovering Liguria.
In 2016 I opened my food blog in Italian and in English, A Small kitchen in Genoa, where I share traditional, reliable, family recipes and food stories from the Italian Riviera.
My mission is to preserve the Ligurian culinary heritage from the dust of time.
I do it though historical researches, visiting the remotest corners of my Region, talking to old people (our living patrimony), discovering local producers and artisans.
And then share all of it with you:
-I write about Ligurian cuisine through my blog and my upcoming book.
-I organize regional cooking classes in my home kitchen or in private villas.
-I organize food tours in Genoa and Portofino area.
-I give online cooking classes via Zoom.
- And sometimes I consult as Ligurian food travel designer.
If you wish you can follow my Ligurian food adventures also on my Instagram Account!