Gnocchi is a very famous Italian dish, but for Brazilians and Argentineans, the 29th of every month is the Day of Gnocchi.
Why is behind the Tradition?
The story of the tradition is pretty simple. The 29th of the month was just before payday — people got paid on the first of the month — so by the end of the month, money was tight and all that was left in the pantry was potatoes and flour. Gnocchi is the perfect solution as it is rich and not expensive. The 29th is also the day that an Italian saint, Saint Pantaleo, who had many miracles attributed to him, was canonized. So the tradition of the 29th is said to honor him.
Now families and friends gather on the 29th to eat gnocchi together for good luck. Some restaurants only serve gnocchi on this day, and many offer gnocchi specials. For good “fortuna”, you should slip a dollar bill beneath the steaming plate when it was served.
Do you have traditions like that in your country?