Feast of the Seven Fishes

Christmas Eve is a vigilia di magro or a day of abstinence in which the Catholic Church prohibits the consumption of meat. Although less observed now, in the past it meant that everyone would crowd the fish market on Christmas Eve to prepare for a feast of seven fishes.

Caròla Francesconi, the author of "La Cucina di Napoli" writes that the traditional meal should include:

Drowned broccoli rabe (also known as Christmas Broccoli)

A choice of:
Vermicelli Aglio e Olio
Vermicelli with Anchovies
Vermicelli with Clams and tomatoes

Roasted or fried eel, followed by other fish dishes of choice, which could range from humble baccalà to baked fish or lobster.

A refreshing caponata di pesce (fish salad) to complete the main courses.

Christmas desserts: paste reali, susamielli, rococò and mustacciuoli, sometimes accompanied by nut crunch.

And finally, dried fruit (dates, figs, nuts, and la collana del prete (the priest's necklace), chestnuts strung together.

Three theories on where the idea of seven fishes originated:

The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church - baptism, penance, Holy Eucharist, confirmation, marriage, holy orders and the sacrament of the sick.

The seven sins of the world - pride, envy, anger, gluttony, sloth, lust and greed.

The seven days it took Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem.

Some say it's the seven hills of Rome, the seven winds of Italy, or the Seven Wonders of the World

Incidentally, many Italian families will serve many more than seven fish. Some families prepare up to 21 types of various preparations.