Patterns of Food & People: La Pasquetta

For my first #patternsoffoodandpeople of 2021 I’d like to present “La Pasquetta” or “Little Easter.” The Monday after Easter is a national Holiday in Italy. Otherwise known as “Lunedi dell ‘Angelo” or “Monday of The Angel,” when an angel visited Jesus’ tomb after he had been crucified according to the Bible. The holiday has also roots from ancient Roman times and is similar to the feast of Lupercalia, which was a spring time feast meant to purify the city after a long winter. Today, City-dwelling Italians pack their Easter dinner leftovers and go out the country for a picnic. In this pattern I’ve decided to feature some traditional Italian Easter baked goods along with traditional easter appetizers, like “Salami e uova sode”, salami and boiled eggs and fresh Fava beans and Pecorino cheese. For the next few posts I’ll share more about these featured dishes!

Colomba di Pasqua or “Easter Dove” is difficult to make, taking 30 hours to rise before baking. Topped with almonds and sugar, many Italians end up buying Colomba instead of making their own. The legend goes that this Milanese cake has brought peace to Lombardy, through either a victory against the Holy Roman Empire in 1178 or perhaps it was tribute to King Albion of the Lombardy tribe who was going to invade the town of Pavia in 6th century. The delicious cake apparently stopped him in his tracks.

La Torta Pasqualina’s crust is carefully made with 33 sheets of thin phyllo pastry to represent 33 years of Jesus’ life. Artichoke or chard, ricotta, salt, fresh marjoram and eggs fill the inside of this savory pie from the Liguria. It’s said to be better eaten cold, the day after Easter, a perfect La pasquetta (Easter Monday) dish!

Casatiello Napoletano is a savory donut shaped bread stuffed with cheeses like pecorino and salami, and topped with whole eggs still shelled. The eggs and circular shape of the whole bread represent the resurrection and Jesus’ crown of thorns. Although it’s an Easter dish, it’s traditionally served on Holy Saturday to friends and family in Naples and is finished and removed from the table on Easter Monday, “La Pasquetta.” Casatiello was traditionally cooked in a wood fire oven. There is evidence of a similar recipe that can be traced back to Ancient Greece called “plakountes.”

A centaur named Vesuvius fell in love with a sweet singing siren named Parthenope. This apparently angered Jupiter and he turned the centaur into a volcano and the siren into the city of Naples. Neapolitans have been baking tribute to her ever since in the form of Pastiera Napoletana. This soft cake of ricotta, eggs, milk, spices, sugar and orange flower water in traditionally baked on Maundy Thursday so that the flavors have time to infuse for Easter Sunday.