Torta Pasqualina, lamb lasagne, brasato al Barolo, and colomba di Pasqua the Easter feast is served
The traditional Easter menu is the one that manages to conquer the palate of all fellow diners. From the appetizer to the dessert, here is a menu created with the most traditional recipes from northern Italy.
Torta paqualina (Liguria) – Literally ‘Easter cake‘, it is a quiche that is always present on the tables of many Italian families, not only in Liguria. The original delicious Genoese recipe is based on eggs, cheese, and artichokes. However, there are several variations, an excellent one is that made with spinach, or with chard. Generally, it is cooked on Saturdays in order to serve it cold on Easter Sunday.
Lamb ragù lasagna (Emilia-Romagna) – Lasagna with lamb ragù is a recipe that combines one of the most loved dishes of Italian cuisine, lasagna, with one of the symbols of the Easter table: lamb. The result is a savory and very aromatic dish. The lamb meat is marinated in a mixture of herbs which pass their aromas to this strongly flavored meat. The first written recipe for this dish in a cookbook published in Emilia Romagna in the XIV century.
Braised beef with Barolo (Piedmont) – Unique to the northern region of Piedmont, this dish is an indescribable concert of flavors. It is a stew made with beef from the Fassone breed, bred in the Langhe, marinated for half a day in the fine local red wine with celery, carrots, onions, juniper berries, cloves, and cinnamon. When ready, it is usually served with mashed potatoes or polenta.
Colomba di Pasqua (Lombardy) – Generally referred to simply as ‘colomba’, which means ‘dove’, this traditional cake is appreciated all over Italy. However, the first one seems to have been prepared in Milan. Its origin is not certain and it inspired numerous legends dating back to the Middle Ages. The dough for the colomba is similar to the panettone ones, based on flour, eggs, sugar, natural yeast, and butter. It is enriched with abundant and delicious candied peel and cooked in dove-shaped molds.
Ilona Catani Scarlett