Indice
In Italy, it is well known that culinary tradition is wide and varied. This is especially noticeable during celebrations such as Easter, when each region flaunts a particular typical recipe.
Easter in Italy is an important celebration not only as a religious holiday, but also as a time to spend with family or friends, strictly in front of a set table. Let's discover together what are some of the typical Easter sweets in Italy.
One of Italy's most beloved Easter sweets actually has pagan origins and appears in legends related to the city of Naples. It is said, in fact, that a mermaid named Parthenope. The mermaid was so beloved that to pay homage to her, the people of the gulf gave her the most precious resources of their land: flour, ricotta cheese, eggs, wheat cooked in milk, orange blossoms, spices and sugar. The mermaid took the gifts, sank and returned to the surface with the first pastiera.
It is customary to prepare the pastiera a few days in advance of Easter (usually on Maundy Thursday), so that the flavors ripen.
The Easter dove originated in northern Italy, but today it is widespread throughout the peninsula and, along with chocolate eggs, is one of the symbols of Easter itself. It consists of a dough similar to that of panettone (a typical Christmas dessert), but shaped like a dove with spread wings and covered with glazed almonds.
The origin of the dove is disputed between Lombardy and Veneto, but it was the Motta company in Milan that launched its large-scale production after the war.
Another Easter dessert is widespread in Central and Southern Italy: the Easter cone. It is a sweet doughnut covered with sugar icing that is usually prepared a few days before Easter and then eaten for breakfast along with a good cup of coffee.
In Sicily at Easter it is traditional to create Easter lamb-shaped cakes made of almond paste. The custom originated in the town of Favara, in the province of Agrigento, but is also widespread in Puglia. Like the dove, a sign of peace, the lamb is also a symbol of Easter, recalling the sacrifice of Jesus.
Almond paste lamb can be found in any Sicilian pastry shop during Easter, but many people prefer to prepare it at home, perhaps with children. Do-it-yourself results are not always perfect, and a dedicated Facebook page was created to document the strangest and funniest almond paste lambs.
Other typical Easter sweets in Sicily are cassatelle ragusane, shortbread baskets filled with ricotta cheese, the main ingredient in all Sicilian pastries. They resemble the more famous Sicilian cassata, but unlike it, they are prepared only during the Easter season.
It is impossible to talk about Easter in Italy without mentioning chocolate eggs with a surprise. It seems that the first person to have a chocolate egg made was Louis XIV, the Sun King, but the custom of giving colored eggs as a symbol of life and rebirth had been active since the Middle Ages in Europe.
Instead, the surprise inside the egg comes courtesy of Russian goldsmith Peter Carl Fabergé, who in 1883 built a platinum egg with gifts inside for the wife of Russia's czar.
Today, cracking the egg to find out what is hidden inside is a joyful and indispensable ritual, especially for young children.
Pardulas (or formaggelle) are traditional Sardinian Easter sweets. They are cupcakes filled with sheep's ricotta and saffron, flavored with orange and lemon zest. The shape and yellow color given by the saffron make the pardulas resemble small suns.
Traditional Italian Easter sweets tell the story, culture and traditions of an extraordinarily diverse country. Each region has its own flavors, rituals and recipes, but they all have in common the intent to celebrate Easter with sweetness and sharing.
Lascia un commento
Comments