Cotechino with Lentils – An Italian Classic
Many people are familiar with The Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian-American dinner made up of mostly fish and other seafood that is celebrated on Christmas Eve. But not quite as known is another Italian tradition enjoyed to celebrate the New Year.
For Italians, the New Year’s Eve meal is all about symbolizing abundance while reflecting the hopes for prosperity and good fortune in the coming year. New Years Eve kicks off with the “Cenone di Capodanno” (The New Years Eve feast). While the feast varies from region to region, each dish carries a special meaning, with ingredients known to bring luck, wealth, and happiness.
Lenticchie (lentils) are believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year to those who eat them on New Year’s Eve. These tiny oval-shaped legumes, reminiscent of gold coins, represent the money that one will earn in the coming year.
Italian folklore suggests that eating sausage before midnight is a good omen for the New Year. The actual hoof of the pig is a symbol of abundance and bountifulness as represented by the meat’s high fat content, richness, and flavor. Sausage made with pig’s trotters when eaten alongside lentils, are believed to bring good luck and prosperity. Cotechino with Lentils recipe
The dinner is finished off with dried fruit and grapes. It is said to take great willpower to conserve some grapes from the harvest until New Year’s Eve, this indicates that everyone at the table will be wise and frugal with their newfound wealth.