More than a Christmas Eve get-together, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is a time to celebrate family, tradition and (yes, of course) food.

By Vicki Martinez

To many of us, any authentic homemade Italian dinner is a feast in itself. But for Italian-Americans, Festa dei Sette Pesci—Feast of the Seven Fishes—is not only a special feast, it’s also a time to celebrate Italian heritage, tradition and, most importantly, family.

THE ROOTS

The specific origin of the celebration is debated. One commonly accepted belief is that the Feast of the Seven Fishes was adapted from the Roman Catholic custom of partially fasting (not eating meat) on the night before important holidays. It is the Italian-American Christmas Eve—la Vigilia—celebration.

THE DIVERSITY

The menus for the feast are as diverse as the 20 regions of Italy, and differ from family to family as the north of Italy differs from the south. Variations on what fish or seafood to use, how it is prepared, and whether dessert is included as one of the seven dishes (sans fish, thankfully) are plentiful.

One thing every family agrees on: Bonding with family in the kitchen and celebrating the traditions of cooking together are the true themes of the Feast.

THE MENU

Chef Lorenzo Boni, executive chef for Barilla Pasta, shared some of his favorite recipes to prepare. We’ve broken it down by course and we’ll leave the rest up to you. To construct your perfect menu, choose seven recipes from these delectable appetizers, soups, salads and entrées: