So much history and tradition, a preparation that can take up to a few weeks, but what has made Christmas lunch in Bologna so famous? Step by step, let's discover together what can never be missing on the Christmas tables of every Bolognese family.

 

Bologna's tradition of cold meats and sausages does not need an introduction, but it can certainly be appreciated even more during Christmas. An unmissable dish is the “crescentina fritta”, a small focaccia typical of our region and prepared with simple ingredients like flour, lard and salt and rolled out exclusively with a rolling pin. Accompanying them, as we have said, is an infinite (and tasty) variety of cured meats, with the "Queen" mortadella leading the antipasto ranks.

 

The tortellino is undoubtedly the King of Christmas, accompanied only by its trusty "squire": the capon broth. The culture of this dish has been handed down for centuries and almost reaches 1100 AD (almost a thousand years ago!).

 

As important and rich as its name suggests, the Gran Bollito misto alla bolognese is another of Bologna's unmissable dishes. This dish can also be found in other Italian regions, but it is in Emilia that the recipe has been perfected, transforming itself from a useful way of using all the meat available (and not wasting anything) to a true icon of Bolognese culinary culture.

 

In Bologna, there is no dispute as to whether panettone or pandoro is better, because the Bolognese people have simply created their own cake!

The traditional dessert with which Christmas lunch ends is called “Certosino” and has even medieval origins! Pharmacists (at that time called "speziali") had access to a multitude of ingredients and, in addition to medical recipes, they also dabbled in the preparation of sweets, hence the first name of the Certosino dessert: "PANSPZIÈL", which takes its inspiration from "Pane degli speziali". The recipe was perfected over time by the monks of the Carthusian (Certosino in italian) monastery, who took charge of the subsequent production of this cake, so much so that it ended up being identified with the monks even in its name: "Certosino". The traditional recipe calls for it to be made with: flour, pine nuts, chocolate, almonds, sultanas, candied fruit and honey.

 

Whether you want to propose our typical Christmas lunch to your guests or simply take inspiration for your own creations, we are waiting for you at the Hotel Corona D'Oro and at our restaurant Casa Azzoguidi to let you breathe in the most magical and welcoming atmosphere, in full Bolognese style.