The traditional Italian New Year's Eve feast featuring lentils and cotechino sausage is called Cenone di Capodanno.
The phrase means “New Year's big dinner.” In Italy, the cenone is commonly eaten on the evening of December 31, often before midnight celebrations. Lentils are associated with coins and prosperity because of their round, coin-like shape, while cotechino is a richly seasoned pork sausage traditionally served with them.
Menus vary greatly by region and household. Other foods may include seafood, pasta, sparkling wine, or desserts, so lentils and cotechino are customary rather than mandatory ingredients in every Italian celebration.
This feast is distinct from the red-underwear custom also associated with Italian New Year's Eve. Both are linked with good fortune, but the cenone is a meal, while the clothing custom is a separate ritual.