I CANNOT believe Christmas is one week away! I am freaking out in anticipation of all that I still have to do but mostly, I’m just excited. I have 6 year old twins and they make it fun.  I mean…they have built 3 gingerbread houses and Mia has eaten all of the chocolate in her advent calendar. “NO, if the candy is all gone it does not mean Christmas comes sooner.”

If you don’t know, I am Italian, mostly, and Christmas Eve is the big one for us.  We celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes. I think it should be called, “The feast that cripples everyone in the kitchen.”  This meal’s prep is not for the faint of heart. I will be offering shooters of lemoncello and squirts of icy hot to all those that contribute. Lumbar supports for everyone!!!!

This year’s menu has everything from shrimp cocktail to raw oysters, calamari, scungilli (the fish that dwells in the conch) clams, lobster and what the F is the 7th fish? Oh, and crab! My dad makes a killer crab salad.  The pasta is always Lobster fra Diavolo.  The baton is being passed and I thought I would get a test run in before the big day. I have only seen preparation for this and eaten it tons, but never executed until now. And, I am a little gun shy – only because I made PUSS-SAGNA for Thanksgiving. Don’t ask.

Ultimately, this recipe and its minimal ingredients could not have been more simple.  I had every ingredient on hand but the lobster. Not bad for a fancy dish, right? ! Case in point, food and their ingredients don’t have to be complicated for it to taste good.  This recipe has been tweaked a pinch by the The Knife (my dad) and I personally think the adjustments are key.

PS, fra diavolo actually means “brother devil”, something about a famous Neopolitan leader and resisting the French occupation of Naples. I guess that is where the peperoncino comes in.

PPS, this dish is supposed to be spicy, but it’s up to you how much heat you give it. We like it hot over here at the 611 Club. #wink

Ingredients:

1 lb Lobster Tails, with Shell

3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 -2 Tbsp Butter

4 Garlic Cloves, minced

4 Bay Leaves

1 Glass of Dry White Wine

1/2 Peperoncino, Grated

1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley

1 C. Tomato Sauce

1 lb Linguini Fini

Salt

Instructions:

Cut the shell off of the lobster tail and save.

Cut the meat into small pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic.

Next, add the lobster, bay leaves  and sauté.    Add wine and peperoncino. Add parsley and sauce and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. This is also where the tweakerdoodledos come into play.  Optional,  but we put the shells back in the sauce, as well as a pat of butter. It just brings the flavor up a notch.

Boil pasta. Combine with lobster mixture and serve.

***Peperoncino can be replaced with red pepper flakes.

There you have it. A dish that has been a long standing tradition for us on the Eve of Christmas.  What tradition will you be continuing this holiday season?

Buon Appetito& Buon Natale!