The true art of holiday hosting lies in balance. While the centerpiece of the Christmas meal is often a rich and celebratory dish, its impact is heightened when preceded by something lighter and more delicate. These elegant, grazing-style appetizers set the stage perfectly, offering sophistication without heaviness before the main event.
The first is a timeless combination with a spirited twist: Chilled Prawns with Brandied Mayonnaise. This classic gets its character from a mayonnaise enriched with a splash of brandy, adding a subtle, warming depth. While you can certainly cook your own prawns from scratch in a fragrant court-bouillon of celery, fennel, and white wine, high-quality, sustainably sourced cooked prawns work beautifully. Serve them chilled on a large platter with the flavoured mayonnaise for dipping, accompanied by a lemon-scented finger bowl for messy hands.
Next, elevate the humble crudité with Pinzimonio. This is not a platter of predictable vegetable sticks, but a carefully composed selection of vibrant, bitter, and crisp elements. Think leaves of radicchio, spears of puntarelle or endive, halved radishes with their greens attached, and thinly sliced fennel. Arrange them artfully with chunks of good sourdough. The magic is in the bowl of vibrant, peppery extra-virgin olive oil at the centre, seasoned simply with crunchy salt and black pepper for dipping.
Finally, reimagine the frittata. Inspired by the kitchens of Italy’s Piedmont region, where egg yolks are reserved for rich pasta, this version is A Delicate White Frittata. Made predominantly from whipped egg whites with just a few whole eggs and a touch of Parmesan, it results in a thin, almost crepe-like omelette of remarkable lightness. It’s the perfect canvas for thinly sliced seasonal vegetables—such as artichoke, radicchio, or celery—which are sautéed in butter before the egg mixture is added. Cooked until just set and delicately golden, it is served at room temperature, offering a homely yet refined bite.
Together, these three starters provide a graceful, flavourful preamble to the Christmas feast, celebrating simplicity and quality ingredients in true Italian style.