Easter in Italy is a joyous celebration filled with many diverse festivities that can last for days. As with many Italian holidays, the holiday culminates in a feast, where friends and family gather around the table. So what are some of the foods Italians eat for Easter? Here are 8 savory Easter foods you will find at a traditional Italian Easter feast.
Neapolitan Fellata
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Originating in Naples, this plate of salami, cheese and hard-boiled eggs is filled with symbolism. The eggs represent rebirth, the meat symbolizes wealth, and the cheese represents togetherness. The dish is served as a first course. In Naples, it usually appears on Holy Thursday, but similar plates are served on Easter Sunday throughout Italy, sometimes as breakfast. The term is derived from the Neapolitan dialect, with "fella" meaning a slice since each of the components are served cut up.
Minestra Maritata
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Better known in the United States as Italian Wedding Soup, the Minestra Maritata is a combination of tiny meatballs and leafy green vegetables, usually with a bitter flavor. Before the age of supermarkets and global agriculture, the leafy green vegetables were the first vegetables available in the spring, making them an ideal addition to the soup. The term "wedding soup" is derived from the marriage of flavor between the meat and vegetables.
Brodetto Pasquale
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Originating in the Liguria region, this dish is similar to a frittata, an egg tart, and usually includes asparagus to symbolize spring. A Roman version is more like an egg drop soup, with a broth made from beef or lamb. When broth is prepared, the meat is removed and the eggs are mixed with lemon juice before stirred into the hot broth.
Crostata di Tagliolini
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This pie is made with either potatoes or noodles, and is layered together with ham, peas, mushrooms and cream and then baked. It is similar to potatoes au gratin and should have a beautiful golden crust but creamy interior.
Casatiello
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In Naples, casatiello is a dense bread stuffed with ingredients prohibited during the Lent fast. There are many variations that often include cheese and meat like ham. The bread often includes a whole, hard-boiled egg. Since the dough is risen, it symbolizes the new life. A sweet version of the bread can be found in parts of Campania where it is covered in icing.
Roasted Lamb
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Lamb has long been associated with Italian Easter dinners in part because of Christian symbolism. In the Old Testament, the lamb is a symbol of sacrifice, and in the New Testament, a symbol associated with Jesus. Jewish Italians also typically serve lamb during Passover Seder, the same meal Christ attended during the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. Regional preferences determine whether the lamb is roasted, braised, grilled, or stewed.
Lamb Cacciatore
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Better known as a "hunter's stew," some regions of Italy serve this dish instead of a roasted lamb. Cacciatore is a catch-all phrase, and there is no specific recipe. Most often it will include root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, a broth with wine, tomato paste, or stock to braise, and herbs according to the cook.
Artichokes
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Common in Neapolitan traditions, artichokes cooked in butter and served with ricotta salada are a common dish during the Easter holiday weekend. Artichokes are also a dish common during Passover.
Ian MacAllen
Ian MacAllen is America Domani's Senior Correspondent and the author of Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American. He is a writer, editor, and graphic designer living in Brooklyn. Connect with him at IanMacAllen.com or on Twitter @IanMacAllen.