La Vigilia Toscana

"He who ruins Christmas Eve, has a wolf's body and the soul of a cur."

This old Tuscan proverb serves as a warning and condemnation to those who do not keep sacred the tradition, grown from Catholic Church restrictions on eating meat on certain days, of keeping a meatless Christmas Eve. Originally, Christmas Eve was a day for very frugal meals, where the highlight of the day was worship at Midnight Mass, perhaps followed by a post-Mass supper of rich dishes.

It was La Vigilia, or The Vigil, the quiet time of reflection and anticipation that is conducted during the hours leading up to the celebration of the birth of Christ. For many, the memory of Christmas treats being forbidden on the day before Christmas is still fresh, and they may also recall the meals their mothers and grandmothers fed to them on Christmas Eve, always without meat or poultry.

Nowadays, though one still sees many Catholic Tuscans attending Midnight Mass, and perhaps following it with a convivial drink and snack, the feasting is usually postponed until Christmas Dinner. It has grown more common, however, for a family to gather for three special holiday meals, Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas dinner, and a special meal on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th.

In the past, we have listed several festivals and events that take place throughout Tuscany during the Christmas season, as well as recipes for special Christmas dishes and sweets. In case you are interested, several of the newsletters listed below have this information included:

http://www.florencevillas.com/newsletter/nl_12.htm

http://www.florencevillas.com/newsletter/nl_13.htm

http://www.florencevillas.com/newsletter/nl_29.htm

http://www.florencevillas.com/newsletter/newsletter_16.html

http://www.florencevillas.com/newsletter/newsletter_18.html

It has become somewhat of my own tradition to write about Christmas events, celebrations, and meals here in Tuscany. This time, I am writing just about Christmas Eve, and I hope that inspires you to celebrate in a new way of your own, including a special meatless meal.

The Traditions:

Il Presepio

In many homes not just in Italy, but in countries around the world, we set up a crèche, sometimes known as a "manger scene," featuring the figures of Mary, Joseph, the Holy Infant, and, in more elaborate presentations, the Three Kings, the attendant shepherds, barnyard animals, and the angel looking over the birth of Christ. Here in Italy, this is known as Il Presepio. Italy is the home of the Nativity Scene.

You may be very surprised to learn that it was St. Frances of Assisi, Italy's beloved San Francesco, our Patron Saint, who built and displayed the very first Presepio. Since then, churches, then homes everywhere have kept this tradition alive and growing for hundreds of years.

It is common to associate the Crèche with southern Italy, and particularly with Rome, where the annual Piazza Navonna Christmas market concentrates almost solely on the Presepio figurines, and Naples, where the finest figures are produced. But Nativity scenes are just as popular here in Tuscany as they are anywhere else in Italy.

If you have perused the links above, you will have seen many events that feature special or even "living" Nativity scenes throughout Tuscany. One that is very special is the event held in Pescaglia, the Presepe in Grotta. At a nearby lake, in a large cave, a candlelit Presepio, featuring very large figurines and softly sung music, attracts a good many visitors, and is an annual event that shouldn't be missed.

My Italian-American family celebrates Christmas Eve with a large and elaborate meal featuring several fish dishes. As we mentioned above, Christmas Eve is a day of abstinence, a day in which the Church has declared a prohibition on the eating of meat. In Italy, these days are called vigilia di magro.

The traditional feast of Seven Fishes that my relatives prepare comes more from southern Italy, but here in Tuscany we also celebrate with a meatless meal, and some very special sweets.

For Christmas Eve dinner, I am offering two recipes, but neither of them features fish. They both are traditional, especially the cake, but the rich polenta dish that comes from our more northern Tuscan regions is one that appears on many holiday tables, for it is filling, festive and vegetarian. Below you will find the recipe for polenta al mascarpone e tartufi.

The dessert we present is a cake called Torta Vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve cake) that is filled with delicious nuts and candied fruit. It isn't much different than traditional fruitcakes from other lands, but that it is made freshly for the occasion and not aged in liqueur and wrappings, as are many other fruitcakes. This cake is simple and delicious and we hope you will try it.

Recipes

Polenta with Mascarpone and Truffles / Polenta al Mascarpone e Tartufi

You can serve this wonderfully festive dish as a first course, where it will serve 6, or as a side dish or buffet dish. I think your friends and family will go wild for this creamy, rich, almost decadent treat. Mine do.

• 2 cups vegetable or mushroom stock
  
  
• 2 cups heavy cream
  
  
• 1 cup white, fine cornmeal
  
  
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  
  
• Juice of 1 lemon
  
  
• 1/2 cup of Mascarpone cheese, divided into 2 equal portions
  
  
• 3 Tablespoons fresh chopped herbs, mixed (your favorites will do fine; I like parsley, with a little fresh tarragon, sage or thyme)
  
  
• 1/4 cup aged Pecorino Toscano, grated
  
  
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  
  
• 1 medium sized white Tuscan truffle
  
  
• Tuscan truffle oil

In a large, heavy sauce pan, bring the vegetable or mushroom stock and the cream to a boil. Lower the temperature so that the liquid mixture is simmering, and slowly pour the cornmeal into the pan, whisking continuously. The mixture should be smooth and creamy.

At this point, you can lower the heat yet a little more, and continue to cook and stir for 20 minutes. Then stir in the butter, lemon juice, herbs, grated cheese, and half of the mascarpone. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with small dollops of the rest of the mascarpone, the truffle oil, and liberal shavings of the fresh truffle. Serve immediately.

Torte Vigilia Di Natale

• 1/2 cup water
  
  
• 1/2 cup sweet white Tuscan wine (or Vin Santo, which is perfect for this)
  
  
• 1/2 cup sultanas or small raisins
  
  
• 1/2 cup chopped mixed dried fruits (I like orange peel, figs, and citron mixed together)
  
  
• 1/2 cup very coarsely chopped hazelnuts
  
  
• 1/2 cup very coarsely chopped almonds
  
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
  
• 1/2 cup butter
  
  
• 1 egg
  
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  
• 1/2 cup sifted flour

Mix the water, wine, dried fruits and nuts in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. When cool, you can strain and save the liquid.

While the fruit and nut mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, and mix very well. Add the vanilla and mix.

Add the flour, baking powder and salt, which have been sifted together into the butter and egg mixture. Fold in the fruit and nuts, and just a little of the drained liquid, but ONLY if the mixture is too dry.

Pour into a 9 inch square baking pan that has been very well buttered. Bake at 350 degrees F, or 180 C, for 30 minutes.

When cool, remove from pan and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.