Christmas Eve the Italian way

"Someone had to cook, and it ended up being us guys," explains Dante. "We'd make a mess, and the women wouldn't want any part of it."

His female cousins and aunt help in a pinch, however. They might set the table with the silver flatware and white china that are used only on Christmas Eve - and which were purchased by Leon and his mother in Florence.

Dante's stepmother, Grace, "manages" the big night, making sure every detail is taken care of. "This is my favorite night of the year," she says when I meet the family at Leon's home. "And not just because I don't have to cook!"

This year, eight children will be among the guests. Like host Leon, who was practically weaned on anchovy sandwiches, they are all adventurous eaters.

"The kids eat everything," says Dante, "even the octopus, squid, and eel."

It's Filippo, a sculptor, who is the fussy eater in the crowd. "I've never liked seafood," he admits. "But I still love to cook on Christmas Eve."

For this, Filippo gets teased a lot at the family gathering, especially when he sits down to his plate of pasta without anchovies. But this year he won't be the only one getting teased. His fiancée, who also steers clear of fish, will twirl her own forkfuls of anchovy-free pasta beside him.

But whether they are serving seafood or not, this culinary crew strives for a simple but beautiful presentation, a standard set by Grandma Giuseppina. The deMagistris family will always celebrate the holiday just as they did with her until 10 years ago.

"It's a tradition that will keep on going," says Leon. "I am so happy and so proud that my sons love this event as much as I do."

And indeed they do.

"It's all about togetherness," says Filippo. "The food brings us together. That's what's most important - even more than what's on the plates."

Kosher salt
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon garlic (about 3 cloves), finely minced
8 anchovy fillets
1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes, or to taste
1/4 cup jarred or salted capers, rinsed
1/4 cup golden sultana raisins
1 pound angel hair pasta (also called capellini)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (Pasta water should be as salty as the Mediterranean Sea, says chef Dante deMagistris, who adds 1/4 cup salt to 1 gallon plus 1 quart of water per pound of pasta.)

While the water comes to a boil, heat 3 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts and stir continuously until they are light brown. Add the garlic, and stir until it is golden. Add the anchovies, chili flakes, capers, and raisins. Reduce heat to low, and let the sauce simmer.

Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water, stirring until the water returns to a boil, then cook for a minute longer. Reserve about 3 cups of the pasta water in a pot on medium heat. Strain the pasta through a colander, and add it to the sauce. Add one cup of the pasta water to the sauce, and toss until the sauce is evenly distributed over the pasta. Continue cooking the angel hair pasta in the sauce for another minute. The pasta water will help finish cooking the angel hair and keep it from becoming dry. Add more pasta water if needed. The angel hair should be al dente (firm to the bite).

Take the pan off the heat, and add the remaining 4 tablespoons of extra- virgin olive oil and the Parmigiano Reggiano. Add salt if needed. Serve immediately in warmed pasta bowls.

Serves 6.

- From Dante deMagistris, chef at blu at the Sports Club LA in Boston

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