Italian Easter Food Traditions
Common Italian Easter Food Traditions
With Easter just around the corner, we have been thinking about past Easter dinners. We remember so many Easter Sundays with traditional Easter Italian as well as American foods. Italian Easter traditions vary from different regions in Italy, but some common Easter traditions include:
- Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua). A sweet bread flavored with citrus zest, and sometimes filled with raisins or candied fruits. It’s shaped into decorative forms such as braids or wreaths and is often served for breakfast or as a dessert.
- Easter Pie (Torta Pasqualina). A savory pie typically filled with ricotta cheese, spinach, and eggs. It’s a traditional dish, especially in northern Italy.
- Lamb. Roast lamb is a traditional Easter dish in many Italian households, symbolizing the sacrificial lamb of Christianity. It’s often seasoned with garlic, rosemary, and other herbs.
- Easter Soup (Minestra di Pasqua). A hearty soup made with a variety of greens, such as escarole, spinach, or Swiss chard, and often flavored with Parmesan cheese and sometimes enriched with eggs.
- Colomba di Pasqua. A traditional Easter cake shaped like a dove (the symbol of peace and resurrection). It’s similar to a panettone but usually softer and flavored with candied orange peel and almonds. It’s often given as a gift or served as a dessert.
- Cured Meats and Cheeses. An array of cured meats such as prosciutto, salami, and capicola, along with various cheeses, are served as part of Easter antipasto platters.
- Pastiera Napoletana. A traditional Neapolitan Easter cake made with ricotta cheese, cooked wheat, eggs, and flavored with orange flower water. It’s a rich and indulgent dessert enjoyed during the Easter holiday.
Freddy remembers many Easter feasts with some of these traditions. And of course making them in his father’s bakery on the northwest side of Chicago for many years. That is where Freddy’s love for good food began!
Happy Easter!
From all of us at Rosie’s Sidekick Sandwich Shop, we want to wish you a happy and blessed Easter.
Rosie’s Sidekick Sandwich Shop & Catering is located in Chicago in the Logan Square neighborhood. 2610 N California Ave 773-697-3000. Our newest location is in Schaumburg in the D. R. Horton building. 1750 E Golf Rd 1st floor 847-648-7098
For more information about Rosie’s Sidekick Sandwich Shop & Catering in Logan Square or Schaumburg or to order online, go to www.rosiessidekick.com.
