Buon Natale!

The week before Christmas (Natale) food preparations started. Every year David's parents make around 700 cappelletti (small stuffed pasta similar to tortellini). This year they allowed me to join in, and showed me how to make them. They used two batches of dough, each containing 6 eggs and a package of flour. They were filled with a mixture of 6 meats, bechamel sauce and parmesan. You can imagine how tasty and wonderful they were. They freeze them instantly after making, and defrost as needed. Luckily we did not eat all 700 for Christmas lunch, so we got to have them for other meals as well (including the next day's dinner, where we had them in chicken broth).

Christmas lunch is typical in Italy. Starting around 1 or 1:30pm and lasting into the evening. After two servings of cappelletti, lamb, turkey, peas, salad and dessert, we skyped with my family on Cape Cod, and went for a two hour walk. Walking around town was great. Not only did it help you digest, but everyone was out chatting and exchanging good wishes.

It was a wonderful Christmas! My first in Italy and my first where David and I were on the same continent :)

Making the bechamel sauce for the filling

The finished cappelletti filling

Alba making the dough

Franco was in charge of rolling the dough

The professional production line in progress

The cutter/closer

As you can see I am the most helpful person here :)

Finished cappelletti before freezing

Cappelletti cooking for Christmas lunch

Tomato sauce for the cappelletti

Alba finishing the cappelletti

Mixed antipasto

Cappelletti

Roasted lamb and turkey with peas

Rainbow covering the sky after lunch

Skyping with my family on Cape Cod