This calamari was an insanely huge hit with my family, even with those who don’t really like calamari. It got so tender and was just absolutely delish. I made it for the holiday but it will be on repeat year round! Happy new year!
We never counted fishes. We just ate fish. My parents are straight from Italy too. My family in Italy doesn't count either. I will make a variety of fish for Christmas Eve and that's all. Christmas Day will be lasagna New Year's Eve is now Chinese food with the kids, and porchetta on new years day. Buon Natale e buon anno Domenica.
I have had the feast every year of my life - but you’re totally right. It’s not about counting fishes, but it is about eating fish and celebrating and the anticipation of Christmas. For my family in the states, it has been a way to connect to our roots and celebrate together, and I love explaining the tradition to others.
It's such a wonderful tradition; I hope I conveyed that in my post. And with its growing popularity, it is introducing more people to different fish and seafood, which is a bonus!
This year I’m traveling on Christmas Eve, and it’s just me and my husband for Christmas. We’re doing a takeout Feast of Seven Pastas from the Italian place across the street for Christmas dinner. And there’s fish in a couple of the pastas!
So far we’re thinking of a chowder (w/ 2 or 3 fishes), white pizza w/ anchovies or shrimp (or both), 2 or 3 fishes baked/broiled. But that is all subject to change. 😁
Our Italian family never the seven fishes--we are from the Midwest and I had never heard of it till I was an adult. I think it is an East Coast thing in the US--NY, NJ, etc-- where so many Italians are settled. At any rate, we always have had fish on Christmas Eve, but that is related to the church--not eating meat on holy days of obligation and Christmas eve is one of those.
Yes, that could very well be. I grew up in NJ and had not heard of it, but I did not grow up in an Italian community. Agree about religious obligation being the reason for fish, though historically it also makes practical sense for a country that is a peninsula. I love fish so it's one of my favorite feasts. Cheers and buon Natale.
And my great grandparents who lived with my grandparents and family, emigrated from Calabria around the turn of the century--lots of fish there! Nana and my grandma did the cooking for the whole family of 9. My mother just turned 98 and has wonderful stories still to tell! Buon Natale to you as well.
Tante belle cose (all good things) to your mother! It's those Italian genes. My mom was almost 97 when she died, and my dad was 95. It's my first Christmas without either of them. It makes me a little blue but I know how lucky I was to have both with me for so long.
thank you! Yes, we know we are lucky and blessed to have her, still living in her house and mentally sharp. I'm sorry you've lost yours and it makes your holiday bittersweet. They are looking down and smiling on you with love.
We don’t have the seven fishes, but we must have baccala. We make it with leeks in a broth., fried plain or with sauce and capers. We also make it cold in a salad. We make our spaghetti with olive oil and anchovies. We also make zeppole with baccala or with raisins. Even though my kids or grandkids don’t enjoy it that much we still keep the tradition for my mom. And we make also the food my grandkids enjoy. I love Christmas being together as a family.
How nice to see another Domenica here. There aren't too many of us out there! And I can't believe I forgot to mention baccalà. My mom made it for years, along with merluzzo and all the other things I listed. I've never made baccalà myself, but I've started to become interested in it once more, in part because of all my trips to Liguria (where stoccafisso, which is similar, is a staple). Good for you for keeping tradition alive. Buon Natale!
My Italian American mother always made 7 Fishes--as a kid I was a picky eater and I didn’t eat any of it. Thank goodness there was always a lasagna as well! A few of my (mostly Jewish) friends would join us and we were all put to work picking crab meat from a giant leg, or worse, cleaning squid (those eyes!) and they dubbed the event “Crableg Christmas.” She would make stuffed squid, crab cakes (a nod to my non-Italian grandmother’s Baltimore roots), and a giant pot of linguini that she called a “zuppa” with all kinds of seafood in it.
In recent years I have enjoyed playing with the idea of 7 Fish for Christmas Eve-am considering it for this year, still thinking....
Good for your mom for putting you all to work. My poor mom cleaned the calamari herself for years, until finally, she was able to find it already cleaned. She did make us shell ALL the hazelnuts and walnuts and almonds for baking, though. I've thought about adding crab cakes to the menu because we're in Virginia and I LOVE them. Crab has been super expensive, though...Would love to hear what ends up on your menu! xo
My mom didn't love to cook, but she tried to honor the feast of the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve in our Sicilian-American family all in one dish: a white seafood lasagna. It was different every year, but often included canned clams and smoked oysters, cod, crab, and a top layer of shrimp scampi. Buon natale!
Your Christmas Eve comments struck home with me. I’d never heard of the “feast of the 7 fishes”, or any number of fishes, either, but we sure did have fish. We always had calamari (grilled or fried), spaghetti (homemade-yum!) with tuna-fish sauce, baccala salad, and baked merluzzo. Thank goodness for the wonderful roasted potatoes my aunt also made. Those and greens filled me up as I wasn’t a huge fan of fish as a child. Wonderful family memories. Merry Christmas!
I forgot to mention the baccala and the merluzzo! I don't know how my mom kept it up all those years; I jettisoned those two long ago LOL. Merry Christmas!
Hi Karen, can you share your email address or email me at domenica@domenicacooks.com? I'll see what's going on. In the mean time, on my Buona Domenica home page, you should be able to view today's recipe for Crème Caramel al Caffè that I posted earlier and also the discount code for classes, posted a couple of days ago. Thanks
This calamari was an insanely huge hit with my family, even with those who don’t really like calamari. It got so tender and was just absolutely delish. I made it for the holiday but it will be on repeat year round! Happy new year!
How lovely to know. So glad the dish was a hit. Thank you!
We never counted fishes. We just ate fish. My parents are straight from Italy too. My family in Italy doesn't count either. I will make a variety of fish for Christmas Eve and that's all. Christmas Day will be lasagna New Year's Eve is now Chinese food with the kids, and porchetta on new years day. Buon Natale e buon anno Domenica.
That all sounds wonderful. We always pick a night to have Chinese food as well. Buone feste, JoAnna.
I have had the feast every year of my life - but you’re totally right. It’s not about counting fishes, but it is about eating fish and celebrating and the anticipation of Christmas. For my family in the states, it has been a way to connect to our roots and celebrate together, and I love explaining the tradition to others.
It's such a wonderful tradition; I hope I conveyed that in my post. And with its growing popularity, it is introducing more people to different fish and seafood, which is a bonus!
You definitely did! And I love seeing what others eat.
This year I’m traveling on Christmas Eve, and it’s just me and my husband for Christmas. We’re doing a takeout Feast of Seven Pastas from the Italian place across the street for Christmas dinner. And there’s fish in a couple of the pastas!
That sounds like a proper Italian feast!
We are doing seven fishes here for Christmas Eve with family.
I'd love to know what you're making, Kate. Merry Christmas!
So far we’re thinking of a chowder (w/ 2 or 3 fishes), white pizza w/ anchovies or shrimp (or both), 2 or 3 fishes baked/broiled. But that is all subject to change. 😁
That all sounds delicious, even the uncertainty. I adore chowder and make it every winter (my dad was from New England).
Our Italian family never the seven fishes--we are from the Midwest and I had never heard of it till I was an adult. I think it is an East Coast thing in the US--NY, NJ, etc-- where so many Italians are settled. At any rate, we always have had fish on Christmas Eve, but that is related to the church--not eating meat on holy days of obligation and Christmas eve is one of those.
Yes, that could very well be. I grew up in NJ and had not heard of it, but I did not grow up in an Italian community. Agree about religious obligation being the reason for fish, though historically it also makes practical sense for a country that is a peninsula. I love fish so it's one of my favorite feasts. Cheers and buon Natale.
And my great grandparents who lived with my grandparents and family, emigrated from Calabria around the turn of the century--lots of fish there! Nana and my grandma did the cooking for the whole family of 9. My mother just turned 98 and has wonderful stories still to tell! Buon Natale to you as well.
Tante belle cose (all good things) to your mother! It's those Italian genes. My mom was almost 97 when she died, and my dad was 95. It's my first Christmas without either of them. It makes me a little blue but I know how lucky I was to have both with me for so long.
thank you! Yes, we know we are lucky and blessed to have her, still living in her house and mentally sharp. I'm sorry you've lost yours and it makes your holiday bittersweet. They are looking down and smiling on you with love.
We don’t have the seven fishes, but we must have baccala. We make it with leeks in a broth., fried plain or with sauce and capers. We also make it cold in a salad. We make our spaghetti with olive oil and anchovies. We also make zeppole with baccala or with raisins. Even though my kids or grandkids don’t enjoy it that much we still keep the tradition for my mom. And we make also the food my grandkids enjoy. I love Christmas being together as a family.
How nice to see another Domenica here. There aren't too many of us out there! And I can't believe I forgot to mention baccalà. My mom made it for years, along with merluzzo and all the other things I listed. I've never made baccalà myself, but I've started to become interested in it once more, in part because of all my trips to Liguria (where stoccafisso, which is similar, is a staple). Good for you for keeping tradition alive. Buon Natale!
My Italian American mother always made 7 Fishes--as a kid I was a picky eater and I didn’t eat any of it. Thank goodness there was always a lasagna as well! A few of my (mostly Jewish) friends would join us and we were all put to work picking crab meat from a giant leg, or worse, cleaning squid (those eyes!) and they dubbed the event “Crableg Christmas.” She would make stuffed squid, crab cakes (a nod to my non-Italian grandmother’s Baltimore roots), and a giant pot of linguini that she called a “zuppa” with all kinds of seafood in it.
In recent years I have enjoyed playing with the idea of 7 Fish for Christmas Eve-am considering it for this year, still thinking....
Good for your mom for putting you all to work. My poor mom cleaned the calamari herself for years, until finally, she was able to find it already cleaned. She did make us shell ALL the hazelnuts and walnuts and almonds for baking, though. I've thought about adding crab cakes to the menu because we're in Virginia and I LOVE them. Crab has been super expensive, though...Would love to hear what ends up on your menu! xo
My mom didn't love to cook, but she tried to honor the feast of the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve in our Sicilian-American family all in one dish: a white seafood lasagna. It was different every year, but often included canned clams and smoked oysters, cod, crab, and a top layer of shrimp scampi. Buon natale!
Now that is clever!
Your Christmas Eve comments struck home with me. I’d never heard of the “feast of the 7 fishes”, or any number of fishes, either, but we sure did have fish. We always had calamari (grilled or fried), spaghetti (homemade-yum!) with tuna-fish sauce, baccala salad, and baked merluzzo. Thank goodness for the wonderful roasted potatoes my aunt also made. Those and greens filled me up as I wasn’t a huge fan of fish as a child. Wonderful family memories. Merry Christmas!
I forgot to mention the baccala and the merluzzo! I don't know how my mom kept it up all those years; I jettisoned those two long ago LOL. Merry Christmas!
Hi I’m a paid subscriber, but I don’t have the access to the benefits yet. What can be done to fix this?
Hi Karen, can you share your email address or email me at domenica@domenicacooks.com? I'll see what's going on. In the mean time, on my Buona Domenica home page, you should be able to view today's recipe for Crème Caramel al Caffè that I posted earlier and also the discount code for classes, posted a couple of days ago. Thanks
Thank you. I will try it.
Yum!