Tanti Aguri per un sereno a prospero anno nuovo 2025

Welcome to the second edition of Phil~Italy Cultural Newsletter. We will be publishing bi-weekly and exploring the food, culture, music, art, architecture, natural beauty and history of our beloved Italy.

In Italy, buying and wearing red underwear for New Year's is a popular tradition believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year. This custom is deeply rooted in Italian culture and is associated with the color red, which symbolizes fertility, love, and good fortune. The practice is thought to date back to ancient times when red was considered a powerful color capable of warding off evil spirits and misfortune. As New Year's Eve is a time for new beginnings and hopes for the future, wearing red underwear is seen as a way to ensure a positive start to the year. This tradition is so widespread that in the days leading up to New Year's, shops across Italy prominently display red undergarments, and they are often given as gifts among friends and family.

In southern Italy, there is the tradition of out with the old in with the new. People will toss unwanted items from the upstairs windows, such as old clothes and even pots and pans!

Italians eat lentils on New Year's as a symbol of good luck and prosperity for the coming year. This tradition is deeply rooted in Italian culture and dates back to ancient Roman times. The round shape and coin-like appearance of lentils are believed to represent money and wealth, making them a fitting dish to usher in a prosperous new year. Typically, lentils are served with cotechino, a type of pork sausage, or zampone, a stuffed pig's trotter, both of which are also associated with abundance and good fortune. The combination of lentils and pork is thought to bring a double dose of luck, as pork is considered a symbol of progress due to the way pigs root forward. This hearty and comforting meal is enjoyed by families across Italy as they gather to celebrate the New Year, hoping to ensure a year filled with health, happiness, and financial success.

Classic Italian Lentils

This classic Italian-style lentils recipe is the traditional meal we eat in Italy on 31st December after the stroke of midnight. A simple dish good all year long!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Classic Italian Recipe, Lentils, New Year's Tradition

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 193kcal

Ingredients

• 1½ cup lentils dry

• 1 cup onion finely chopped

• 1/2 cup celery finely chopped

• 1/2 cup carrots finely chopped

• 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin

• 1 pinch salt kosher

• 5 cup stock vegetable low sodium

Instructions

• Start by chopping onions, celery and carrots to prepare soffritto. Add 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to pan, when the oil shimmers add the chopped onions, celery and carrots.

• Let it cook at medium heat until they soften and the onion become translucent. Make sure the onions are not browning.

• Add 1 1/2 cup of lentils to the pot, toast them 2 minutes, add 5 cups of vegetable stock and the bay leaves.

• Continue cooking on medium simmer until the stock has been absorbed. Lentils cooking time is around 40 minutes. Taste the lentils if they are still hard, add some more vegetable stock until they are soft.

• Add salt only at the end, lentils absorb the stock and if you add salt you might end up with lentils that are too salty.

• Lentils are ready! Serve them hot or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 606mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1692IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 3mg

Recipe from Italian Kitchen Confessions