For many countries around the world, the arrival of Easter is synonymous with lunches and dinners at home, during which it is important to gather with the whole family to celebrate together. Many others, on the other hand, do not particularly feel this holiday in religious terms, but celebrate it all the same for the cheerfulness and joy it brings. In either case, however, everyone at this time is about to bring to the table the recipes that characterize this specific time of year, all of them different from each other and each very inviting. If you want to discover some of the culinary traditions of Easter around the world, here are the main dishes from four countries in particular: Italy, the United States, Great Britain and Finland.
In Italy, Easter, like all other religious and non-religious holidays, is celebrated all together around the table set with great food. Although there are dishes that may vary from region to region, there are some that unite virtually the entire Boot, from north to south. One of these is roast lamb, a dish popular in different parts of the world precisely because of what it symbolizes. Eggs are then other protagonists, cooked hard-boiled, stuffed or added to desserts as in the Sicilian "cuddùra."
Speaking of eggs and sweets, besides the Sicilian cassata and the classic Easter dove, no home is without the mouth-watering chocolate eggs, a traditional dessert in Italy, but also in many other nations. It is the quintessential symbol of Easter, and represents not only a typical sweet of this period, but also the gift (most expected and appreciated by young and old) that is exchanged as a good wish between friends and relatives.
Today this sweet is no longer given as a gift simply in its more traditional versions made with milk or dark chocolate, but also in a different key that can be called a true work of culinary art. An example of this are Venchi’s luxurious Easter eggs, made by one of the most prized brands in Italy that combines tradition and modernity and offers many products in various flavors and sizes.
In the United States, one of the typical Easter dishes is lamb, one of the iconic symbols of this holiday that tradition links to the sacrifice of Jesus. This is the main course on every menu, served with seasonal vegetables and cooked very slowly. Also very popular is glazed ham, a recipe born out of the need to salt and season pork that could not be eaten right away. Glazed ham soon became a cheaper alternative to lamb, and is much loved by almost everyone. Other typical dishes include hard-boiled eggs, filled with a mixture of yolk, mayonnaise, mustard, and other spices, mostly served as an appetizer.
In Great Britain, among the recipes that can never be missed during the Easter season are Hot Cross Buns, small sweet and spicy buns. These are soft yeast buns, flavored with cloves or cinnamon, and often enriched with raisins and a paste of water, sugar and flour placed in the shape of a cross on the surface. These buns can be found in different versions, and can be eaten either on their own fresh out of the oven or stuffed however you prefer. Hot Cross Buns are the stars of Easter tables, especially at breakfast and tea time, and are also popular in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and throughout the British Isles.
Another delicacy, typical of England, is then the Simnel Cake, a delicious cake made of fruit, covered with marzipan and decorated with eleven almond paste balls. The latter represent the eleven apostles (Judas, the apostle who betrayed is excluded). There is also no shortage of the very popular roast lamb, served with potatoes, vegetables and sauces.
In Finland, Easter is also celebrated at the table with traditional dishes. First and foremost among the most common dishes is Mämmi, a dessert made with rye flour and malt, then seasoned with molasses and various flavorings. It is served cold, accompanied with cream or vanilla ice cream. Continuing on the theme of sweet delights, another typical recipe is Pasha Cake, a popular Orthodox Easter recipe that originated in Russia but has spread widely in Finland. It is a kind of cold cream cheese cake decorated with fruit.
