Before Milan-born, Puglia-based Giorgia Eugenia Goggi became the resident chef of Masseria Moroseta in 2017, she had swapped her career as a fashion stylist to return to her family roots in the world of gastronomy, working in various kitchens throughout Milan, London, and Copenhagen. It was there that she realized she was able to satisfy her appetite for creativity through the culinary arts—combining her passions for styling, photography, and storytelling with organic farming, food, and Italian culture.
Her love of food stems from her family and upbringing in Milan, she explains: “Food has always been our emotional language, the act of sitting together at the table, taking time and celebrating the ritual of a shared meal.” Her childhood memories are embedded with images of beautifully set tables, weekend picnics, and hearty seasonal produce sourced at local markets. Giorgia recalls her favorite Christmas dishes from her childhood as evoking some of her most formative food memories. “I love sogliola marinata, typical of Christmas Eve: a 19th-century recipe by Pellegrino Artusi based on tender filets of fish in a marinade of vinegar, citrus fruits, sage and pine nuts,” she adds.
Tortellini in brodo is another classic, she explains, but for her own version of tortellini—which she insists should be very small and strictly handmade, with the help of all family members—she prefers a filling of prosciutto, mortadella, parmesan cheese, and nutmeg. And of course: panettone, which she describes as the king of the Christmas table and her favorite dessert of all time. “I remember as a child opening the wrapping and deeply breathing in that magical scent of butter, citrus fruits, vanilla, sultanas, and candied fruit. The Milanese tradition is to keep it close to a source of heat during Christmas lunch so that it can be eaten warm and fragrant,” she says. “Absolutely perfect.”
However, an Italian Christmas isn’t so much characterized by the menu, Giorgia notes, as traditional dishes change from region to region. Instead, it’s about the shared experience around the table, which is likely adorned with the family’s most treasured linen tablecloth and nonna’s fine plate sets. Universally throughout Italy, the Christmas meal should be slow and relaxed, she explains, eating leisurely, opening “the good bottles” of wine, chatting with family and friends while exchanging gifts, all the while helping each other in the kitchen. “It is a time to get together and celebrate the Italian tradition of togetherness, slowness, and the importance of sharing and passing on these precious traditions.”