St Joseph's Feast

Originally, St Joseph's Feast began as an opportunity for wealthy families to offer the poor not only a day to spend in company, but also a very substantial meal compared to what they were used to eating. Thus the less fortunate had the chance to fill their bellies and alleviate their suffering by trying to forget, if only for a day, their unhappy condition. Of the tradition today, the abundant banquet certainly remains, but the original purpose has been transformed into an occasion to sit at the table with friends, relatives and neighbours. The meal, preceded by prayers in honour of the saint, includes a number of dishes, some more traditional, others less so. It is customary to start with soup and beans strictly cooked in 'a pegnate (an earthenware pot used for cooking food directly in the fireplace), followed by maccheroni with tuna and anchovies, macaroni with breadcrumbs, baccalà arraganate, and finally the cavezune (pastries filled with chickpeas and honey), rice with milk and, recently, the ever-present zeppola.