Although honey-glazed ham, garlic mashed potatoes, and fluffy dinner rolls are common Easter fare in the United States, there are many other ways to celebrate the holiday that incorporate both local ingredients and distinctive cultural practices.
The creator of the Italian food blog Divina Cucina, Judy Witts Francini, stated, “Italians go all out.” She is originally from California but has spent decades in Tuscany and Florence.
Witts Francini’s Easter lunch begins with a grouping of antipasti. For the main course, she serves a flavorful tart called torta pasqualina, which has 33 layers of phyllo batter to represent the 33 years of Christ’s life. Roast lamb, fried artichokes, pan-seared peas, and roasted potatoes make up the second course. Chocolate eggs with a gift inside and a dove-shaped cake called colomba are the dessert. They can be up to three feet tall. Be aware that the type of pizza that Italians crave on Easter is very different from the kind that can be found on the majority of delivery menus in the United States.
The flaky crust of pizza rustica, also known as pizzagaina, is stuffed with cheese and meat. Pizza rustica, like the majority of Italian recipes, varies from chef to chef and town to town. It originates from Naples, which is referred to as the “pizza birthplace.” “It’s essentially a ricotta cheesecake, however it’s really flavorful – as far as possible,” said Rossella Rago, an Italian American writer and host of the famous web based cooking show “Cooking with Nonna” who composed a cookbook with a similar name.
To make the pie, first, you really want to make the cake mixture, which incorporates flour, eggs, salt, milk and fat.
“Can I make this with shortening?’ I get asked that question all the time,” The response is always: No,'” Rago said. ” I would say, “Yes, fine, use shortening,” but when it is actually Easter, you must use lard.
Inside, the pie – essentially Rago’s adaptation – contains ricotta, provolone, mozzarella, soppressata (an Italian dry salami), prosciutto, eggs and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
“Everyone swears by their own particular combination. Ask the Italian people, “What’s the real pizzagaina?” if you want them to fight right now. That is the very thing everyone is fixated on in Italian America,” Rago said. ” Because there is no right way, it always makes me laugh. Believing that is absurd.
Rago added, “Until its unification, Italy had 600 languages.” All in all, you think we have one recipe for anything? Definitely not.
Rago’s recipe comes from Nonna Romana, her grandmother, and is based on a true Italian American story. Romana is from Puglia, a southern Italian region where the dish isn’t made. While she was working at a clothing factory in Brooklyn, New York, she heard about it from other Italian Americans. She modified their version by adding and removing elements. She developed her own Italian American custom after many years of alterations.
“She swears it’s awesome,” Rago said. Her mystery is extra-sharp provolone. According to Rago, it is one of her website’s most popular dishes, and everyone who tries it reports success on their first try.
This dish is typically prepared on Good Friday and served on Easter Sunday at room temperature.
Mexico: Capirotada
There are many things that come to mind when you think of authentic Mexican cuisine: tortillas, beans, and rice, to name a few.
Capirotada can now be added to the list.
The Mexican dessert known as capirotada is similar to bread pudding. Layers of nuts, cheese, fruit, and sometimes sprinkles are layered on top of bread that has been coated in syrup.
Mely Martinez, the blogger behind Mexico in My Kitchen, stated, “If you are into salty, sweet, soft, crunchy, and spongy mixed together with a dash of spice, this is for you.” Indeed, this mixture sounds extremely unusual, yet it is a blast of flavors in your mouth.”
Martinez was raised in Tampico, Mexico, where he was born. Every Easter, she serves this dish as a dessert. To make Martinez’s customary capirotada, layers of cut white bread are prepared with spread and afterward dunked in syrup produced using piloncillo (a raw kind of sugar), cinnamon and cloves. The bread is sandwiched between layers of cotija cheese, roasted peanuts, and raisins in an oven-safe dish. After being baked, sprinkles and bananas are added to the top.
Capirotada is typically served at room temperature on Easter Sunday, however many serve it all through Blessed Week.
“It’s compelling. When you begin eating it, you can’t quit eating it,” Martinez told CNN.
Capirotada, which was brought to Mexico by the Spaniards, became popular in Mexico because it is simple to make and uses things that most people already have on hand.
Martinez claims that it evolved from a savory dish made with beef broth to a sweet one made with syrup. The bread and syrup, according to some, are symbols of Christ’s body and blood.
Capirotada comes in many different varieties throughout Mexico. My Latina Table blogger Charbel Barker makes hers with milk. Her recipe was made by her “abuelita,” meaning grandmother.
My abuelita always said, “It’s good, but there’s something missing.” Barker said, “It needs more sweetness.” As a result, she added two kinds of milk: condensed milk sweetened with sugar and evaporated milk.
Barker said that the milk gives the dish a pudding-like texture and gives it more flavor.
Barker stated, “It tastes like a Snickers.”
