Now the festive period has started. As we know, the food is the protagonist of Christmas Neapolitan lunch. Here, what to expect if you're invited for lunch on Christmas day, in an authentic Neapolitan house.

What are the Christmas antipasti?

There aren't traditional antipasti of the Christmas Neapolitan lunch. Each house has own tradition: at the table, we can find bruschetta, Italian-style fried fry, fried codfish or mozzarella and ham. Do you already feel full? We are only at the beginning ...

Main dishes of the Neapolitan tradition

The main dishes of the Christamas lunch are two. The first one is the famous and old minestra maritata: its recipe dates back to 1500. This type of soup is called in this way because vegetables and meat (usually pork, chicken and beef) are married (in Naples, "maritano") to combine their flavors in a unique and special flavor. This soup not to be missed!

The next dish can change on the traditions of the Neapolitan family. We can find baked cannelloni, rice sartù, tortellini in broth, lasagna or baked pasta. Taste good!

The second dish of  Neapolitan Christmas lunch

Are you already full? We're still halfway through lunch! The second dish is usually meat, the meat is often made with the sauce of the pasta. It can be the sausage with the sauce or beef. However, the second dish of Christmas lunch is the one that puts the stomachs of the people to the test.

The traditional side-dish of Christmas lunch in Naples

At Christmans, the star of the Neapolitan tables is definitely the insalata di rinforzo! A special side-dish made with cabbage, broccoli, olives, peppers, escarole, mixed pickles, all dressed with vinegar. A salad for refined palates, not everyone likes but it's definitely worth trying.

And here we are, almost at the end of this long lunch. What is missing is certainly a good coffee, a digestive and then ... Let's start to eat a lot of desserts!