The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a big deal in our family. Although the origins of this feast are somewhat mired in controversy, it is a holiday that our Italian-American family celebrated each and every year with absolute gusto. In our childhood, our parents would bundle us against the cold and off we went to celebrate the occasion at my Uncle Nelson’s apartment. His family lived above the liquor store that he owned and we would run up the steps to his apartment, aroma of wine and spirits floating up the hall, excited to see our cousins, exchange gifts and eat for hours. The burning Yule log was always featured prominently on the TV set. Midnight mass always followed the feast, although many an adult snoozed their way through Mass, an artifact of all that food and vino??
We now carry on this tradition with much love and excitement. The formal sit down dinner is now usually replaced with a buffet as family and friends come and go, be it for one fish or seven. The number of fish frequently expand to greater than seven but who is counting anyway??
Please enjoy our collection of recipes from over the years – some knock off a few fish in a single dish; others showcase a single pesce. However you decide to celebrate, may the simple sharing of a meal together bring much joy during this holiday season. From our table to yours, wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!
Buon Natale!
Michele and Joe
Zuppa di Cozze – Mussels in tomato sauce
Christmas 2023 is almost here! We’re all thinking about who will be coming over when, what we’ll be cooking and…
Insalata d’Arance Siracusana (or the best ever Orange Salad)
We are back from a spectacular few weeks in gorgeous and gritty Sicily. It has been over 10 years since…
Fresh Cod Cakes with Italian Salsa Verde (and Feast of the Seven Fishes)
Let the cooking begin! Christmas is less than a week away and for me that means its time for our…
Sicilian Sauteed Shrimp with Almonds
I first had the combination of almonds, shrimp, and toasted breadcrumbs while visiting the tiny Sicilian island of Pantelleria many…
Clams Oreganata: Perfect for Seven Fishes
If you’re part of an Italian family, know an Italian family or have a favorite Italian restaurant, you’re probably gearing…
A Sicilian-influenced Monkfish Brodetto
Our paternal grandfather, Giuseppe Becci, was born and raised in the little village of Scapezzano in the region of Marche,…
Sardinian Fregola with Clams
I was re-arranging my pantry recently and found a package of Sardinian fregola that I had purchased at Altomonte’s Italian…
Summer Clam Guazzetto
During my boyhood in New Jersey, summer meant trips to the Jersey shore, and the Jersey shore meant clams! From…
Mussels and Shells in a Saffron Tomato Soup
With Christmas Eve fast approaching, it’s time to starting thinking about that uniquely Italian-American tradition of the Seven Fishes. Probably…
Drunken Octopus Salad
Octopus is finally available again in seafood stores in Southern California. In Italy, being able to buy freshly fished octopus…
Calamari ripieni alla marchigiana (Stuffed squid)
While we were in Marche, Italy this spring, we had stuffed calamari prepared by my cousin’s wife, Maria, several times.…
Seppie con piselli (Cuttlefish with peas)
I’m in Italy!—in the region of Marche, along the Adriatic sea—staying in the town where my grandfather grew up (he…
Cooking Le Marche Style: Vongole in Potacchio
Ciao, tutti! As I write this post, my brother and Mark are relaxing in the little village of Scapezzano, Italy…
End of Summer at Mussel Beach – Cozze alla marchigiana
I was in the Pacific Northwest this week visiting family and as usual, I was amazed at the abundance of…
Somewhere Beyond the Sea: Sicilian Clams with Fennel Broth
When the summer heat comes swooping in, I always have a hankering for clams – a big, soupy bowl of…
Brodetto alla senigalliese
The Marche region of Italy is blessed with 180 km of fertile coastline, so the seafood available is deeply ingrained…
Paccheri with bottarga and lime
My sister Michele and I have written recently about Italy’s region of Marche, the birthplace of our paternal grandfather Guiseppe.…
A Tasty Kettle of Fish: Adriatic Seafood Brodetto
My paternal grandfather grew up on Italy’s Adriatic coast in the small village of Senigaliia in Le Marche. I remember…
Food Memories: Grilled Swordfish with Chickpea Puree and Salmoriglio Sauce
With a beautiful spring day in full bloom, I finally had time to plant my new little herb garden –…
Pesce crudo – Don’t call it Italian sashimi!
Pesce crudo (Italian for “raw fish”) and Japanese sashimi both rely on ultra-fresh seafood, but that’s where the similarities end.…
#HealthyItalian: Roasted Fish with Cherry Tomatoes and Meyer Lemon
Day 1 of my New Year Detox – Italian Food Blogger Style!! As I posted yesterday, I am starting off…
Debra’s My Italian Garden: Planked Mustard Pepper Salmon
Our friend Debra joins us once again – this time to talk about her family’s delicious Christmas Eve recipe. Debra…
Swordfish involtini on the grill (Involtini di pesce spade alla griglia)
The Sicilians don’t have the corner on cooking with swordfish (pesce spada) – the Calabrians, who share the same sea…
Garlicky Swordfish Calabrian Style
The Tyrrhenian Sea off the Calabrian coast is chock full of the majestic swordfish (pesce spada) that migrate through…
Involtini di Pesce Spada (Sicilian Swordfish Rolls)
Sicilians really do love their fish and especially their swordfish. Sicily’s enviable position surrounded by three seas explains why fish…
Salmon Baked in Paper (Salmone in Cartoccio)
It’s winter in Los Angeles: getting dark early, cold (low 60s, even high 50s) and even raining every couple weeks…
In my mother’s footsteps: Pasta with Tuna and Tomatoes
The fridge is stocked; the pasta machine is at the ready; and the baccala is soaking. The company has started…
Cavatelli con le cozze (Cavatelli with mussels)
On our recent trip to Puglia, we had this dish at multiple restaurants for both lunch and dinner. It’s a…
Southern Italian seafood salad (Insalata di mare)
Seafood salad is served all over Italy: anywhere near the sea and with ready access to seafood, which is most…
Clam, squid, fennel and sausage stew (Vongole, calamari, finocchio, salsiccia guazzetto)
Guazzetto is the Italian word for stew: not just any stew, but a low-and-slow-cooked stew. Cooking it slowly allows all…
The Little Fish Market in the Wall: Shrimp with Pancetta and Puree of Chickpeas (Gamberi al Pancetta e Crema di Ceci)
These ingenious Italians….who else would utilize space under a street for nothing other than a fish market? For a few…
Calamari in umido (Squid braised in tomatoes and red chili)
My earliest memory of squid was of the ONE time my mother decided to make it. She bought uncleaned squid…
Seafood Ink Risotto (Risotto al nero di frutti di mare)
This is one of the most luscious dishes that can be found in the Veneto Region of Italy. It comes,…
Pesce al Sale (Fish in a Salt Crust)
Sometimes the simplest preparations are the tastiest! And this one is for sure….take the freshest fish you can buy, stuff…
Sicilian Seafood Couscous
Il mio amore was coming for dinner last eve and I was in the mood for something I rarely make…
Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops on a Bed of Roasted Asparagus
Another treat from our Seven Fishes menu – prosciutto-wrapped scallops on a bed of roasted asparagus. Simple and delicious. These…
Tuna Carpaccio with Arugula Salad and Caper Vinaigrette
Tuna Carpaccio – our first course on our ‘Feast of the Seven Fishes’ menu for Christmas Eve 2008. I have…