Bless the “Bacala” Buon Natale
Christmas. The time of year when I most passionately celebrate the Italian side of my family roots. No, “Stall” doesn’t sound very Italian, but don’t let the name fool you. My dad married into a large Italian family, which really means he and most parts of his Ukrainian culture were swallowed up or surrendered to his wife, my Italian mother. I was raised in the bosom of Italian culture, which is synonymous with food.
Food, to an Italian, doesn’t just mean the love of eating it. It means the love of shopping for it, preparing it and serving it to as many people as can gather round a table.
Both of my parents and grandparents are gone, but I learned enough about cooking from my mother to thoroughly enjoy preparing for the “Mother” of all dinners – Christmas Eve. It’s mostly a fish night , served with rappini and pasta. All kinds of fish or seafood, from squid, to smelts to baked clams (lightly breaded) – to the traditional “bacala” — which is a dried salted cod that takes about three days in water to “swell up” enough to “fry up” or bake in the oven. In addition to fish, a little pasta is served in a lighter textured sauce than usual. Fruit, roasted chestnuts, coffee and cognac wrap it all up as the evening lingers in front of the fireplace.
I would give you the recipe for all of the above, but I’ve got to run now to do some food shopping!