Put all these things together and that is how the Feast of the Seven Fishes began in the 1900s. Additionally, many Italians who fled the country due to poverty and immigrated to the United States brought this tradition with them, so the feast continued among Italian-Americans.
Now, what is eaten during this seven-course meal?
While there is no specific menu, there are some guidelines that are followed. The first being, of course, having seven different fish dishes. These dishes can include any and all types of seafood including shellfish. Based on the fish you plan to prepare, you can then determine the different courses that typically include appetizers, a soup, pasta, a side salad, and the main entrees.
Many families may also include a palette cleanser, or a small fruit dish, before bringing out the highly-anticipated desserts!
Some dishes include “insalata di mare” (“ocean salad”), which typically has shrimp and mussels; “insalata di polipo” (“salad with octopus”); “capestante,” which are clam shells filled with salmon, shrimp, and bechamel sauce; “linguine con frutti di mare,” which is a pasta with several different kinds of fish; and other dishes that include fried fish, eel, crab, and lobster.
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