Featured Image Credit: Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP) (Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: US Food
Britt Jones
Topics: US Food
The first ever American pope made history as he served up a huge Thanksgiving meal at the papal residences this week, and it looks like things didn't disappoint.
Pope Leo XIV's 450-year-old summer home at Castel Gandolfo, just outside of Rome, hosted the US tradition on November 26, just one day before Thanksgiving.
Earlier this week, he revealed to NBC News that he hoped people in the US would use the time to connect with others, sharing: “I would encourage all people, especially with this beautiful feast that we have in the United States, which unites all people, people of different faiths, people who perhaps do not have the gift of faith, but to say thank you to someone, to recognize that we all have received so many gifts, first and foremost, the gift of life.”
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"The gift of faith, the gift of unity to encourage all people to try and promote peace and harmony and to give thanks to God for them and the gifts we can give," he added.
Then, just one day later, the farm-to-table Thanksgiving dinner was set up at Castel Gandolfo for the Borgo Laudatoto Si team, who care caretakers for village surrounding the residence.
This includes 135 acres of gardens, farmland, vineyards, greenhouses, livestock and olive trees, per Today.
The meal was cooked up by Chicago chef Art Smith, with an Italian and Chicagoan fusion.
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So, here’s what they ate.
There was a turkey roasted with truffle butter and herbs, served with porchetta, stuffing made from and Mauro Provisions giardiniera, polenta cornbread dressing with sausage and apple, sirloin with porcini, ciabatta with pancetta, and a cacio e pepe timbale.
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The chef was joined by NBC’s Molly Hunter, who was there for the preparation of the food as the caretakers took their seats at the table.
“A real Italian bird, but it’s made with a lot of love,” the chef said during her stay, adding: “This is the first American Thanksgiving in Castel Gandolfo.”
Regarding his pasta dish, he explained that it’s a ‘pudding mold’ that is something Italians like to make as they ‘love to do pasta and mold it’.
He then went on to share that this could be the start of a tradition at the home for those who work to maintain it.
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“Giving thanks to those taking care of this land, that’s what’s important,” Smith said, and then shared the message that he hopes people take away from the first papal Thanksgiving meal: “That we’re a wonderful country, that we love people with food.”