In Italy New Years Eve is traditionally celebrated with a huge feast. To give you a little taster, we have put together 3 dishes for an authentic Italian New Year’s dinner; a starter, main and dessert. Lentils considered lucky and to eat them on New Year’s Eve is thought to bring wealth and money in the coming year; and so almost always feature on the menu! So, if you are looking for inspiration this New Years Eve why not try our Italian feast recipes?
1. New Year Menu – Primi Piatti
Tagliatelle con Gamberi e Zucchine (Tagliatelle with Shrimps and Courgette) – Serves 5
- 400g egg tagliatelle
- 500g prawns
- 4 courgettes
- 50g parmesan
- 20g pine nuts
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Basil
- Salt
- Olive oil
Method
- Drop the courgettes in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Then remove from water, slice in half lengthways and scoop out the white seedy part and discard.
- Add the courgette to the parmesan, 1 clove of garlic, basil and pine nuts and blend into a puree.
- Add the tagliatelle to boiling, well salted water.
- Finely chop the remaining garlic and fry in a little olive oil. Add the peeled prawns.
- When the pasta is ready drain, add the courgette sauce to the pan, stir and add the pasta. Serve.
2. New Year Menu – Secondi Piatti
Lenticchie Stufate di Capodanno (New Year Lentils with Sausages) – Serves 5
- 3 – 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- A pinch of salt
- 500g puy lentils
- 1 big garlic clove finely chopped
- 8 Italian sausages
- 100ml red wine
- 50ml water
- A handful of flat leaf parsley
Method
- Boil the lentils in water until cooked, then drain and add to a bowl.
- Fry the finely chopped onion in a little olive oil until soft and add the bruised garlic.
- Cook for a few minutes and then add the sausages. Fry until browned all over and then add the wine and water.
- Cover the pan and leave to cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove the sausages from the sauce, season to taste and add a little extra water if needed, and add the lentils.
- Stir well and then serve the sausages on a bed of the lentils and sprinkle with parsley.
3. New Year Menu – Dessert
Panettone farcito (Stuffed Panettone) – Serves 5
- 1kg good quality ricotta
- 140g caster sugar
- 70g candied fruit, finely chopped
- 40g flaked almonds
- 50g plain chocolate shavings/chips
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
- 600g panettone
- 175ml Vin Santo or other sweet dessert wine
Method
- Cut a round disc of pannettone and slice the remaining pannettone into long slices that are roughly 1inch thick.
- In a deep bowl, line with cling film and then line with the pannetone. Using a pastry brush, brush the pannetone with ¾ of the vin santo.
- In a separate bowl mix the ricotta and sugar together until well combined. Stir in the fruit, almonds, chocolate and cocoa powder.
- Spoon in the ricotta mixture into the bowl with the pannetone and place the pannettone dish on top. Drizzle with the remaining vin santo.
- Cover with cling film and place in the fridge with a weight on top (a bag of sugar for example) and leave to chill for 6 hours.
- To serve, remove the cling film from the top and invert the bowl onto a plate. Carefully remove the bowl and peel off the cling film. Dust with cocoa powder.
Buon Appetito & Buon Anno Nuovo!
To try our Italian New Years menu in an authentic environment, join us on our cookery holidays in Tuscany, Venice or Sicily. If you do have any questions – simply contact us. We are more than happy to help you and provide you with all the information you need.
seelensturm via photopin cc
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