Italian Easter Traditions

Easter serves as a time to not only honor the sacrifices that Jesus made for us, but a time to slow down and reflect on our lives and everything happening around us, good or bad. It's a time of peace, meditation, and tranquility.

In addition, there are many traditions that take place throughout America and especially in Italy. I love my Italian roots, so I make sure to always watch all of the events happening in Rome throughout the season. It brings me a sense of calmness and focus.

I believe Rome is the heart and soul of what Italy does during this season. It's filled with honor and hope. If you're looking to get more into some of the religious rituals and traditions of this holiday, you can always go to the Vatican News YouTube channel and watch all of the Pope's ceremonies. Even if you're not overly religious, it is certainly something beautiful to watch.

Some highlights at the Vatican include the pope's Holy Thursday mass, which honors the washing of the feet. Then his Good Friday mass, honoring the Passion of the Christ. And finally, his Holy Saturday mass. There are also other ceremonies leading up to Holy Week. They are all really nicely done.

Of course, no Easter season in Italy would be complete without fresh baked goods and other delicacies. Every Friday during lent, we do not eat meat, so on Easter Sunday, many of our dishes finally include goat, lamb, and pizza rustica (or pizzagaina). We also love our sweets and Easter is usually filled with sweet breads combining the citrus flavor of orange and cakes filled with lemon flavoring. Ricotta is also another popular ingredient for making sweet, ricotta pies, rice pies and wheat pies.

Besides the food, Easter is a holiday that brings families around the table to gather, enjoy one another's company and share comradery. I encourage everyone to use it as a time for gratitude and introspection.


Buona Pasqua.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Penne Alla Vodka

Image
Penne Alla Vodka is an American Italian dish that can be found on many restaurant menus across America. It is a creamy, red sauce, that is actually more pink in color. It's rich and delicious and can be eaten as a course or full meal. Recipe Ingredients 8 oz. uncooked penne pasta 1 tbs. olive oil 2 tbs. butter 1/2 small onion, chopped finely 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup vodka 1/4 cup tomato paste 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream Salt and pepper Fresh basil, sliced thin Grated parmesan cheese Instructions 1. Boil a generously salted pot of water for the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Meanwhile, add the oil and butter to a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for about five minutes or until translucent. 2. Stir in garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the vodka and let the sauce bubble for 30 seconds or so.  3. Stir in the tomato paste until you've got a smooth mixture. Stir in the cream and reduce heat to medium-low. Let the sauce warm through. It shoul
Read more

Carbonara Sauce

Image
Carbonara sauce is a rich, delicious sauce that combines basic ingredients of bacon, eggs, olive oil and cheese. It originated in Rome, Italy where they often used the ingredients they had on hand to create hearty dishes. Rome is known for three major pasta sauces in particular. All three of which I will share on this blog. Carbonara is one of those three and often a fan favorite. It's great as a portioned course or a meal in its own. Traditionally served with spaghetti. Recipe Ingredients 1 pound of your favorite cut of pasta (this is typically served with spaghetti) 2 tbs. olive oil 8 slices of bacon diced (you can also use 4 oz. pancetta. Kitchen scissors help.) 1 onion chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine 4 large eggs, beaten 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese Salt and pepper, a pinch of each 2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley for a garnish Instructions 1. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add salt. This will be for your pasta of choice. While it&
Read more

Chicken Cacciatore

Image
Chicken Cacciatore is a tasty, Italian chicken dish that originated from central Italy. It combines fresh chicken, mushrooms and peppers in a traditional tomato sauce. It usually falls right off the bone if cooked for the right amount of time and is served over crushed spaghetti or egg noodles. It can be served at lunch time or dinner and is the perfect comfort, winter meal. Recipe Ingredients 8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on 3 tbs. olive oil salt pepper 1 large onion, chopped 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced 3 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp, crushed red pepper 2 tbs. flour 1 cup dry white wine 14.5 oz. canned diced tomatoes 2 tbs. tomato paste A few bay leaves 1 tbs. thyme (can be dried) 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 large red or green bell pepper, chopped Instructions 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Start browning the chicken in pan, 5 minutes on each side. Reserve the drippings in pan. 2. Add the onion and mushroom
Read more