If you have ever travelled in Italy, you have probably noticed how Italian people love to stay “with your legs under the table,” to use the typical local phrase. To a foreigner, spending so much time at the table might seem odd or even boring, but in Italy — and in Mediterranean countries in general — eating and drinking at home with your family, relatives or friends is one of our most beloved habits, especially during the Holiday Season, at New Year’s, during Easter and on other holiday occasions.

At these times, when hosts want to offer their finest hospitality, food preparation and wine pairings play an important role. In the past, mothers and grandmothers would wake up very early in the morning and spend long hours cooking. Nowadays, only the most traditional families (mainly in the Central-Southern regions of the country) preserve this custom.

Today’s young couples may not have much time for cooking but they might make holiday cookies or cakes from their regions because traditional foods remind us the of best days of our childhood.

And for us wine lovers, this season is a perfect excuse to uncork something special.

So here are a few examples of recipes for regional Italian traditional cakes (with wine-pairing recommendations). You can make them for your family, or to give as Christmas gifts.

Let’s get started with a northern region. The most famous Christmas cake in Trentino Alto Adige is the Zelten, which comes from the German word “selten” meaning “rarely” or “seldom,” to underline the special moment in the year when this cake is prepared. Although each family may make their own particular style of this cake you can use this popular version:

ZELTEN

Ingredients:

150 g sugar (1-1/2 cups)
100 g butter, softened (3-1/2 ounces)
2 eggs
300 g flour 00 (2 to 2-1/4 cups of bread flour or all-purpose flour)
2+1/4 teaspoons of a dried cake yeast (you can add it directly to other ingredients). Alternatively, you can use 0.8 ounces (about 2 tablespoons) cream of tartar plus 0.8 ounces (about 2 tablespoons) baking soda
160 ml of milk, lukewarm (6 ounces)
1 cup of grappa (or white rum)
120 g raisins (4 ounces)
150 g dried figs (5 ounces)
100 g walnuts, chopped (3.5 ounces)
100 g pine nuts (3.5 ounces)
50 g candied citron (2 ounces)
50 g blanched almonds (2 ounces) toasted, for decoration
20 g candied cherries, (1 ounce) for decoration

How to make it:

Soften the raisins in the grappa (or rum) in a cup for 30 minutes.

In another cup, mix the yeast into the warm milk.

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F)

In a small bowl, mix together the chopped figs, walnuts, candied citron, pine nuts and softened raisins. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter with the sugar until creamy, then add the eggs and keep on mixing. Add the flour and the warm milk with the yeast dissolved inside. Mix well, then add the dried fruits and the candied cherries. Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured 24 cm (9-inch) round baking pan.

Decorate the Zelten surface with 1 oz of candied cherries and 2 oz of toasted almonds and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until done. Let the cake cool completely before cutting and serving.

Pair with sweet wines from the region, such as 2001 Cantina di Toblino Vino Santo DOC, made with dried nosiola grapes, or the amazing 07/93 Pojer e Sandri Merlino Rosso Fortificato Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, a wine made with dried lagrein grapes fortified with brandy.