As with any self-respecting holiday, even at Easter the Italian tradition involves the preparation of traditional dishes which, although different, are often united by the use of the same basic ingredient: eggs.

The egg and Easter

The egg is in fact one of the most used foods in the world during the Easter holidays, as a symbol of life that is born and when nature awakens in spring. At the base of this tradition there are some popular and religious beliefs, which have their roots in paganism and in the ancient Greek, Chinese and Egyptian populations. These populations used to exchange colored eggs or simple chicken eggs during spring festivals, while with the advent of Christianity the egg became the symbol of Christ’s rebirth. This is the reason why many of the traditional Easter recipes in Italy involve the use of eggs. But what is the symbolic food of the Italian tradition at Easter?

 

1. The Easter egg

The symbol par excellence of Italian Easter is certainly the chocolate Easter egg. Whether it is made with different types of chocolate and different ingredients, there is no egg that does not contain a surprise gift inside. There are many brands and chefs who delight each year to create new types of Easter eggs, more and more original.

 

2. The lamb

The main dish that never fails on Italian tables is lamb. This meat main course can be prepared according to different recipes. It is often accompanied by vegetables and spices typical of different Italian regions. This Easter tradition cames from the Jewish and Christian religions. With Christianity, the lamb was definitively compared to Easter in the Italian tradition, as a symbol of the messiah, defined as “the lamb of God”. However, in recent years the spread of vegetarian or vegan eating habits is slowly causing lamb to fall back in the ranking of the most prepared foods at Easter in recent years.

 

3. The Easter Colomba (Dove)

Timeless, it remains one of the most commercialized and prepared sweets in Italy at Easter: the Easter Colomba. It is a typical dessert, in the shape of a dove, which is made up of a leavened dough similar to the one used in Italian Christmas sweets, with a topping of almonds and sugar glaze. Today the variants available on the market are many, with different fillings and decorations, but what characterizes it is its soft texture and its unmistakable shape.

And that’s something that we certainly cannot say for the Italian Sounding Easter Doves, among the most counterfeit, united by the clumsy use of colors and names that recall the original Italian product. Just one example is the “Paloma Pascal Tradicional” or the “Pascoattone”.

Keep your eyes open, because deception is around the corner of a shelf. ITA0039 promotes and protects the true Italianness at the table even during the holidays.

To find out more about the Italian tradition and how to experience the real Italian Taste, read our latest news and follow us on social media!