Here is the menu we enjoy with family at home, awaiting the midnight arrival of Christmas.
Buon Appetito!
Pasta with Clams - (Linguini con vongole)
Fried Fish -(Pesce fritto)
Broccoli di Rape
Stuffed Baby Artichokes - (Carciofi ripieni ) (See below for recipe)
Stuffed Baby Artichokes All photo Copyright - ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino |
Ingredients
9 or 10 baby artichokes
1/2 cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons for sauteing artichokes
2 cups of water
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
Sprig of parsley
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon red pepper conserve or tomato paste
Stuffing
2 cups day-old bread crumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Start by rinsing and brushing off the baby artichokes under cold water.
Then, snap off the outer layer of petals of the baby artichoke until you reach the pale, yellow-green layer of petals. With a sharp kitchen knife, trim off the stem and remove the rest of the dark green stem that can cause a bitter taste if not removed. Cut about one half inch off the top of the baby artichoke. Place artichokes in water with some lemon juice to prevent them from darkening.
Prepare stuffing by combining all ingredients and mix well.
Drain artichokes and stuff them.
Take a small skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Briefly saute' artichokes face down until the stuffing gets golden, and remove.
Stuffed artichokes |
Traditional Christmas desserts
Caggionetti |
Everything looks amazing (as always!!!). I see your menu includes fish. Is the feast of 7 fishes celebrated in Abruzzo??? My family settled in the center of the Pa Dutch area in Pennsylvania. We did not celebrate Christmas
ReplyDeleteEve with a this tradition. Is this something you celebrated here and in Italy????
marjeann -
ReplyDeleteThe menu here is the same menu we had in Abruzzi on Christmas Eve with the exception of lobsters, which were not available and if they were we could not afford them. In Italy we had linguini with clams which were readily available.
Thanks Elisa!! I am not sure why my family did not have the traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Maybe fish and seafood was not available in the little town we lived in.
ReplyDeleteAnnette
Pappardelle with artichoke hearts and tomatoes...
ReplyDeleteFor a romantic dinner or with friends pastas make unanimity.