Thanksgiving is my second favorite holiday (surpassed only by Christmas, of course) for truly one reason: the food. Not only does my family cook Thanksgiving staples, we almost triple our food output by including all of our favorite Italian dishes. Here are four dishes that you could look forward to at an Italian Thanksgiving.
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Homemade Lasagne
We only pull this one out for special occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and funerals. The whole process takes about eight hours, from cutting the noodle shape to assembly time. Firstly, we pick up the ricotta no sooner than the evening before cooking, so that the cheese is fresh. We grab a few jars of our homemade sauce and get to construction. We throw in some crushed beef and peas, and the end product usually ends up weighing more than I do. One piece may be 3,000 calories, but the taste is worth every single one. Simply, a bite of bliss.
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Baked Mostaccioli
A little easier to manage than the lasagna, baked mostaccioli is a staple at almost every celebration. It’s the perfect combination of fresh homemade tomato sauce, basil and cheese (there’s no such thing as dairy-free in Italian homes, sorry in advance).
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Italian Sausages
The forgotten link (get it) that holds together Italian celebrations. Spicy sausages topped with peppers are my family’s go-to dinner option. They don’t take long at all to prepare, and they have just the right amount of heat to keep you hungry for more.
Cannoli
Would it be an Italian get-together if there are no cannolis present? No, no it wouldn’t. Cannoli are the most decadent dessert, with a crunchy outer shell encasing sweet ricotta filling topped with either traditional pistachio pieces or chocolate chips. My wedding cake will have cannoli filling, mark my words.