Easter recipes: here's what tradition wants on the table!

Easter Recipes: Easter is approaching, and thoughts begin to arise about what to prepare for the festive lunch. Although it almost seems a duty to make many complicated dishes to impress guests or family gathered for lunch, in reality, it doesn't take much to create many perfect recipes! In particular, with an eye to tradition.

After all, Easter is a festive day even for those who have to cook! It's no wonder that many families opt for a picnic lunch outdoors, taking advantage of the beautiful sunny days of this time. Let's see some ideas for preparing some tasty recipes, without forgetting tradition!

Easter Recipes: Italian Tradition

Easter Recipes: when thinking of Easter recipes, the first thought goes to the oldest traditions, family memories. They vary by region, obviously tailored to personal tastes, but what unites them all is the seasonality of ingredients and some great classics that you simply can't do without!

Among them, one example is the torta pasqualina, considered a rich and delicate appetizer that hides a typical Easter surprise: eggs! The appetizer opens the lunch, it's here that the feast begins! Let’s take this opportunity to enjoy a great platter of typical cheeses, such as Pecorino Romano, particularly suitable for this occasion! Let’s also enjoy some specialties, like Blu Dominik Rum and Cocoa, or a Roquefort Teste Noir, which are true delicacies among the blue cheeses! Pair it with special cured meats, like Prosciutto Crudo Alpino, or a flavorful Salsiccia al Pepe! A beautiful platter with these flavors is ideal to accompany the most popular Easter appetizer: hard-boiled eggs with asparagus, simple and quick to prepare. Pair with an important wine like the Valpolicella Classico for a perfect toast!

The perfect traditional first course that pleases everyone is undoubtedly lasagna, or fresh pasta such as egg tagliatelle, like Felicetti monograno Matt, especially with lamb ragù. If you don’t eat lamb, try the Porcini Ragù Il Poggio: it's an explosion of flavors! Those who prefer seasonal produce can create fantastic risottos with asparagus: a first course that respects tradition and also satisfies vegetarian guests! Pair it with a white wine like Lugana DOC Cromalgo is ideal.

For main courses, those who follow tradition cannot do without lamb leg, ribs, or a good aromatic roast like the Arista al forno arrosto di Pavoncelli. Thinking of having a nice barbecue outdoors? Then try the Pure Pork Luganega by Pavoncelli, or the salsiccia, also by Pavoncelli: an explosion of flavor for barbecue lovers! To stick with tradition, the meal can end with the most classic dessert: the Colomba, or the Pigna pasquale!

Easter Sweet Recipes: Here are the Desserts of Tradition!

Among the traditional desserts, we cannot miss the typical Colomba di Pasqua, like the one from Panificio Rosa Maria Vittoria, or the traditional Molisana Easter Pigna, a very soft cake that will accompany your festivities! Of course, children won’t be able to resist unwrapping the chocolate egg, both for the sweet and for the surprise, and it’s immediately a celebration!

In some regions of southern Italy, like Basilicata, Puglia, or Calabria, Pannarelle are used, simple dough sweets, often braided, that enclose a hard-boiled egg, representing a basket of sweets for children. In Sicily, instead, they use Zuccotto pasquale, a rich dessert made with sponge cake soaked in liqueur and filled with cream, candied fruits, chocolate, and a coating of icing or marzipan. Rich and flamboyant, almost theatrical!

Neapolitan Easter Recipes: The Neapolitan Tradition

Naples is rich in traditions, particularly gastronomic ones: every festive occasion is accompanied by traditional dishes, from appetizers to desserts!

The lunch begins with the typical "fellata", a platter of cured meats. In fact, the word "fellata" comes from the term "fella", which means slice, thus cured meat. Naturally, one cannot miss Casatiello, a basket of rustic bread dough filled with cured meats, with the addition of cheeses like pecorino romano and parmesan.

The Easter lunch in Naples continues with minestra maritata, with meat and mixed vegetables that "marry" perfectly during cooking, creating a feast of flavors. In the Neapolitan tradition, they proceed with lamb with peas, finishing with the classic Neapolitan Pastiera, the most typical dessert made with ricotta, eggs, and wheat boiled in milk. A rich dessert that embodies the flavors of tradition!

Neapolitan Casatiello: The Easter Savory Pie as per Tradition

The Casatiello napoletano is one of the most well-known products in the Neapolitan culinary culture. Here, Panificio Rosa Maria Vittoria presents us with this marvelous savory pie ready to be served at the table, crafted with the mastery that only a culinary master like Salvatore Esposito can guarantee.

The recipe from Panificio Rosa Maria Vittoria is egg-free, not only to make it lighter but also so that it can be enjoyed by those intolerant to eggs. It is a rustic savory cake shaped like a donut, to be sliced. It is ideal as an appetizer, perfect as a second course but also for being consumed as a packed meal, perhaps during the Easter Monday outing!

The Pecorino Romano, as tradition dictates, is the base of the Casatiello, along with other cheeses like parmesan, paired with excellent and tasty cured meats that enrich its flavor. Let’s close the meal with some sparkling wine: a toast with Prosecco DOC is just what we need to end the meal cheerfully!

Easter recipes, many ideas to celebrate Easter: follow our tips to prepare your meal, and enjoy! Best wishes for a peaceful and joyful Easter from the whole Spaghetti & Mandolino team!

Antonella Iannò