When it comes to Christmas feasting, the Italians do it better than anyone else. Whole days are dedicated to multi-course banquets, with dozens of family members working together to create celebratory dishes that mark a serious sense of occasion. The dishes themselves are often dictated by what region of Italy you’re in – a festive spread in the south will look very different to one in the north of the country, although both will be equally delicious.
Emilia Romagna is arguably Italy’s most famous region when it comes to food, as it’s the home of things like Parmesan, Parma ham, balsamic vinegar and the fresh pastas of Bologna. This is especially obvious during Christmas, when some of the more intricate and time-consuming dishes the region is known for are prepared. That’s why we’ve collected five of them together to create a wonderful menu to serve on Christmas Day. Instead of smoked fish to start there’s deep-fried dough and filled pasta; turkey is replaced by a deliciously decadent combination of pork and beef and pudding is much more interesting, combining a layered trifle-like dish and a richly spiced chocolate cake.
Have a look at the dishes below and see if an Emilia Romagna-inspired Christmas takes your fancy.