The New Year's Eve menu: whatever region you go, whatever tradition you find

Recipes for New Year's Eve: ideas from Italy

New Year's Eve is a time of celebration. Whether you stay at home with family or friends, or go to the streets to celebrate, there are some basic precautions you can take to make this New Year's Eve truly special.

In Italy, New Year's Eve is a celebration of good food and good company. In the traditional Italian menu for this special occasion there is never a shortage of beef ribs, porchetta, black cabbage, sweet peas with parmesan, cod and fettuccine with truffled mushrooms.

No wonder there are so many dishes associated with this festive night! In Italy there are also many traditions that differ from region to region, so whatever you choose to serve on the table will surely be able to amaze your friends.

Here are some ideas for the Italian New Year's Eve menu - ranging from the first course to the side dish to the second course - which we recommend serving on New Year's Eve.

Timeless: Ariccia porchetta

Ariccia porchetta is a roast pork served on New Year's Eve in Lazio. It is a tradition that dates back to Roman times, when roasts were consumed during the Saturnalia, the festival in which slaves and masters exchanged roles.

The name derives from the city of Ariccia, near Rome, where the best porchetta in all of Lazio (and perhaps in all of Italy) is found. In addition to being delicious, it also has medicinal properties: according to legend, eating good food on New Year's Eve will bring prosperity and luck in future endeavors. Here is our homemade Porchetta recipe.

A delicious first course: fettuccine with truffles and wild mushrooms

The dish is prepared with homemade fettuccine, long and thin tagliatelle found in all supermarkets but the magic comes if you prepare them at home - perhaps together with relatives on the same day. If you don't have access to fresh truffles and wild mushrooms, you can replace them with other varieties of mushrooms - they will still be delicious!

The top addition: try truffle oil, it is a pungent-smelling substance used as an ingredient in savory dishes throughout Italy and beyond. It has a strong flavor and aroma, but is not necessarily an essential component of most recipes; however, it adds an extra layer of flavor when added at high temperatures during cooking times like frying or sautéing (this also allows you to enjoy all those wonderful aromas without them wafting into your kitchen).

Saltimbocca alla Romana

Beef steak. Red wine. Roast beef. Braised beef. Grilled beef chop. Saltimbocca alla Romana, or "jumps in the mouth". So many possibilities for New Year's Eve dinner, here's the quick one!

Roman saltimbocca is a classic Roman dish consisting of two slices of veal (or chicken) seasoned with ham and sage, then pan-fried until the cheese has melted and lightly browned, then served with lemon juice fresh to drizzle on top once served. It's delicious! To get the recipe for homemade Roman saltimbocca , here is the one we proposed to you.

An Italian side dish: sweet peas with parmesan and lemon

A dish that will please those who don't like meat but want a unique dish or a super tasty side dish full of Italian aromas to accompany an important meat-based dish.

Ingredients:

• 250 g of frozen or fresh peas
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
• Parmigiano Reggiano to taste

How to prepare sweet peas with parmesan and lemon:

Thaw the frozen peas in a colander under running water for 5 minutes. Drain them well before using them.

If using fresh ones, you can cook them by bringing water to the boil in a pan and adding them for about 3-4 minutes until fully cooked. Then drain them well, season them and sauté them in a pan with chopped garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with a dose of fresh Parmesan.

A fish idea: fried cod

If you eat in Italy, especially on the west coast, you are very likely to find fried cod on your table. It is a delicate white fish that has been preserved by salting and drying. Easy to prepare, tasty and perfect for everyone, cod is often served with lemons and parsley, but also with potatoes or vegetables and will satisfy all palates.

From Tuscany: braised black cabbage with pumpkin, chickpeas and lemon

Braised black cabbage with pumpkin, chickpeas and lemon. This dish is a great way to start the evening. It's vegetarian, but it also contains some protein thanks to the beans and seeds. Lemon juice gives it life, so don't skip this step! This is a very traditional recipe from Tuscany. It is delicious served hot or at room temperature as part of an appetizer with other cured meats such as parma ham (or any other cured meat).

Ingredients:

• 1 head of black cabbage
• 2 cups canned or cooked fresh chickpeas if you have time
• ½ cup cubed pumpkin or fresh pumpkin (diced)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves (optional - add more if you like mint) 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation : Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes, then add the chopped garlic cloves until golden brown before adding the onions sliced ​​until translucent.

Add ¼ cup water or broth, if necessary, then add all the remaining ingredients, except the herbs, which should be added at the last minute, with salt and pepper to taste!

Lactose-free roast

If you're planning to host a party with friends and family, it's important to consider their food preferences, especially if they have dietary restrictions. For example, if someone is allergic or sensitive to certain ingredients (such as dairy products), it would be appropriate not only to avoid serving them those particular dishes, but also to inform the guests attending the party of all potential allergens, in case some anyone has dietary restrictions.

So here's the idea for the lactose intolerant who won't have to give up taste. After all, roast beef or veal is a tasty and accommodating dish, capable of making important lunches without too much effort, requiring few ingredients. Carne online Genuina offers the autumn version which, with the addition of chestnuts and apples, says goodbye to lactose and loudly welcomes a roast with chestnuts and apples: here is the recipe .

Italian New Year with genuine ingredients

You may have noticed that the traditional Italian New Year's Eve menu is rich in meat. This is because, according to an ancient Italian tradition, eating meat at midnight on New Year's Eve should guarantee good luck for the following year. Now that you know this, perhaps you can begin to understand why it would be considered bad luck if someone accidentally broke their plate at midnight.

It is also traditional for each person around the table to bring a dish for the group meal (which includes dessert). It is customary for no one to be seated until after midnight and preferably after 11.30pm, but if the party starts earlier, it is best to plan the meal so that everything is ready by that time or shortly after.

For the rest, bon appetit and happy new year from all of us!