New Year’s Eve: An Irresistible Mix of Good Food and Superstition

The New Year’s Eve aperitif consists of small finger foods to be enjoyed standing up, chatting while waiting to be seated at the table. For this welcome course, we suggest crispy crostini with Grana Padano DOP cream, smoked salmon, orange, and wild fennel: fresh, fragrant, and delicious. The perfect way to usher in the longest night of the year!

Once seated at the table, it’s time for the starter, where the key words are deliciousness and creativity. That is why we suggest a savoury strudel with speck, Grana Padano DOP, and apples: a savoury twist on the much-loved dessert, perfect to prepare in advance and serve lukewarm at the centre of the table.

The first course is the star of the first part of the evening, and it deserves something special. We suggest Tricolour Lasagnette with Grana Padano DOP Béchamel, slow-roasted tomatoes (pomodori confit), and rocket pesto: a recipe you can prepare during the day and bake at the right moment, bringing an irresistible aroma to the table… and a true triumph of flavour!

The main course brings balance and colour to the table. Our winter salad with radicchio, fennel, pomegranate seeds, and Grana Padano DOP combines freshness and crunch, perfect for accompanying rich meat dishes or for lightly enhancing refined fish main courses.

Before midnight strikes, dessert arrives: Panettone and Pandoro, accompanied by mascarpone, pistachio, or zabaglione creams, are a timeless classic. But for a surprising finale, we also suggest a tasting of Grana Padano DOP and preserves, a combination halfway between sweet and savoury that closes the Cenone in grand style.

After the toasts and midnight kisses, everyone returns to the table for the most traditional dish of Italian New Year’s Eve: cotechino and lentils. The cotechino, rich and delicious, symbolises abundance, while the stewed lentils, warm and comforting, represent coins, carrying with them the wish for a prosperous and lucky year.

At the stroke of midnight, a toast is mandatory. Glasses of sparkling wine clink in the centre of the table to welcome the new year, a symbol of joy, conviviality, and shared moments with loved ones. However, the toast has its rules: every glass must touch that of all other participants, but beware, crossing arms is strictly forbidden, as, according to superstition, it would bring bad luck for the whole year!

The New Year’s Eve outfit is usually elegant and glittering, but the Italian tradition starts with the essentials. Wearing red underwear, for both men and women, is considered a lucky charm ritual, capable of attracting love and good fortune for the new year.

In the regions of Southern Italy, it is customary to choose a few old objects to throw away on New Year’s Eve. This is not simple decluttering, but a symbolic gesture: freeing oneself from the past to make room for the present and welcome the future with new energy.