How to Impress Your Guests the Golfera Way: Italian Holiday Recipes & Traditions

In Italy, the holidays aren't just a celebration they’re an art form. From Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, every Italian table tells a beautiful story of family, generosity, and, most importantly, extraordinary flavor. 

At Golfera, we believe that sharing authentic, high-quality food is the most meaningful way to bring people together. Our specialties, crafted in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, are designed to help you transform simple moments into unforgettable memories, whether it's a festive aperitivo or a comforting, traditional main course. 

This season, let us show you how to host with the warmth, style, and flavor of an Italian master. 

Holiday Recipes Starring Golfera Specialties 

Bring the magic of Italian craftsmanship and genuine flavor to your table with these easy yet elegant recipes. 

1. Mortadella or Prosciutto Cotto Mousse Crostini: The Perfect Aperitivo 

Delicate, creamy, and full of sophisticated characters. 

The aperitivo sets the tone for the entire meal. Elevate yours from simple charcuterie to gourmet with a quick, elegant mousse. 

• How to: Blend your choice of Golfera Mortadella or Prosciutto Cotto with a dollop of fresh ricotta, a drizzle of high-quality olive oil, and a hint of lemon zest until smooth. 

• Serve: Spread generously on toasted baguette slices. 

• Finish: Top with finely chopped pistachio crumbs (for Mortadella) or fresh chives (for Prosciutto Cotto) for a refined presentation.  

2. Tagliatelle al Forno with Besciamella and Prosciutto Cotto 

An irresistible baked classic that instantly says, "Welcome home." 

A baked pasta dish (al forno) is the ultimate centerpiece of Italian holiday hospitality: rich, comforting, and perfect for a crowd. 

• How to: Combine cooked tagliatelle with creamy Béchamel sauce, diced mozzarella and generous slices of Golfera Prosciutto Cotto. Top with plenty of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Add fresh breadcrumbs and small pats of butter for a crispier top. 

• Bake: Until the sauce is bubbling and the top is beautifully golden brown. This dish is rich, velvety, and a guaranteed family favorite. 

3. Golfetta Salami & Pear Salad 

A bright, lighter note to balance the richness of the feast. 

Golfetta Salami, with its distinct delicate flavor, pairs beautifully with fresh sweetness and tang. 

• How to: Combine fresh arugula, thin wedges of crisp pear, and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

• Dress: Lightly toss with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

• Feature: Arrange thin slices of Golfetta Salami artfully over the top. This salad offers a perfect harmony of sweet and savory textures. 
  

  

 New Year’s Eve Traditions: Eating & Celebrating for Good Fortune 

For Italians, the New Year truly begins at the table – and with a few quirky traditions! Just before the clock strikes midnight, specific dishes and customs are observed to usher in good fortune and prosperity for the year ahead. 

The Italian Traditions: Lentils, Red Underwear, and Toasts! 

Every Italian knows: the first dish eaten in the New Year should be Lentils. Their coin-like shape symbolizes wealth, traditionally served immediately after midnight alongside Cotechino or Zampone to ensure a "fat" (i.e., prosperity and abundance) year. 

But that's not all! To invite passion and love into the coming year, many Italians also wear red underwear on New Year's Eve – a vibrant and fun tradition that promises a year filled with romance and good luck! 

And of course, no Italian celebration is complete without a toast of Prosecco or Franciacorta sparkling wine to ring in the Anno Nuovo! 

Good Luck Traditions Around the World: 

• 🇪🇸 Spain: Twelve Grapes of Luck At the stroke of midnight, Spaniards famously eat twelve grapes – one for each chime of the clock – to secure twelve months of good luck and prosperity. It's a race against the clock and a fun challenge! 

• 🇺🇸 United States: Southern Comfort for Fortune In the American South, a traditional New Year's meal includes black-eyed peas (symbolizing coins), collard greens (representing paper money), and cornbread (for gold) to ensure wealth and good fortune. 

• 🇯🇵 Japan: Long Life Soba Noodles Japanese families eat Toshikoshi Soba (year-crossing noodles) on New Year's Eve. The long, thin buckwheat noodles symbolize longevity and resilience, eaten to wish for a long and healthy life. 

• 🇫🇷 France: Champagne and Pancakes The French celebrate with a lavish feast, often featuring champagne and delicate pancakes (crêpes) to symbolize abundance and joy, toasting to a year filled with richness and happiness. 

• 🇩🇰 Denmark: Breaking Plates for Friendship Danes have a wonderfully unique tradition of throwing old plates and glassware against the doors of friends and family. The more broken dishes you find outside your house, the more friends and good luck you'll have in the coming year! 

• 🇵🇭 Philippines: Round Fruits and Polka Dots Filipinos emphasize round shapes to symbolize coins and prosperity. Many fill their tables with 12 round fruits (one for each month) and wear polka-dotted clothing to attract wealth. 

• 🇧🇷 Brazil: Lentils, Pomegranates, and Jumping Seven Waves Brazilians also eat lentils for money, and some believe eating seven pomegranate seeds on New Year's Eve will bring prosperity. On the beaches, many celebrate by jumping seven waves and making a wish for each jump, hoping to summon good fortune from the sea. 

As the year comes to an end, we reflect with gratitude on the many tables that have welcomed Golfera products across the world. 

From our home in Lavezzola, Emilia-Romagna, to your homes across America, thank you for sharing our passion for authentic flavor and cherished traditions. 

Here’s to another year of good taste, good company, and heartfelt moments. 

From our Italian family to yours, Buone Feste! (Happy Holidays!)