Easter Menu: three typical recipes from North to South

03/28/2024

Easter is just around the corner: it can be felt by the arrival of longer and sunnier spring days, mild weather and even the classic rains of this period. With the spring air, it is natural to feel the desire to immerse oneself in nature, savor its scents, admire its colors, plan trips or organize hikes. But most of all, there is no lack of desire to spend Easter Sunday with family, a perfect opportunity to share a meal, relive memories, laugh together and enjoy dishes that tell stories and traditions.

In this spirit of sharing and cheerfulness, we bring you an idea for your Easter menu with recipes from three Cesarine: three different dishes that will be the stars of their tables. The menu is designed to celebrate the specialties of the different areas of Italy, from North to South, passing through the Center, proposing an appetizer, a first course and a dessert.

The perfect opportunity to make your Sunday unique and have fun in the kitchen together with your family.

Menu:

Appetizer: Fiadoni abruzzesi by Cesarina Luisa
First course: Risotto with wild herbs and flowers by Cesarina Benedetta
Dessert: Neapolitan Pastiera by Cesarina Antonella

What are you waiting for? Lace up your aprons, it's time to get to the stove!

Fiadoni abruzzesi: Typical Easter appetizer

Doughnut-shaped version, with slightly sweet exterior and interior with canestrata cow caciotta and local pecorino cheese.

DifficultyMedium

€

CostMedium

Ingredients

For the outer dough:
1 whole egg and 1 yolk
20 ml white wine
40 ml of evo oil
200 g flour
a pinch of salt
tablespoons of sugar to taste
For the filling:
4 whole eggs
300 g semi-matured cow's cheese
100 g of semi-mature pecorino nostrano cheese
pepper

Method

For a 24cm doughnut mold, outer sheet:

Place the flour in a heap and knead all the ingredients taking flour as you go until you get a soft dough and put to rest under a bowl.

For the filling:

Open the eggs in a bowl and beat them with a whisk, adding the cheese mixture a little at a time until it is firm but not hard enough to take with a spoon and add a pinch of pepper;
Grease and flour a 24-cm baking dish and turn on the oven, bringing it to 180°;
Roll out with the outer dough a sheet thin enough and large enough to line the entire baking dish and leave an extra couple of cm of border;
Lay it on the baking sheet and gently drop it inside, avoiding breaking it;
Pour the filling inside by spoonfuls, trying to distribute it without tearing the pastry;
Fold the excess pastry inside and cut the pastry over the central cone into four parts, letting it fall over the filling;
Bake in a static oven on the lowest shelf at 180° for about 25 to 30 minutes;
When cooked, the fiadone, which will have puffed up nicely, should be colorful.

Luisa

Risotto with wild herbs and flowers

Delicate and creative risotto

DifficultyEasy

€

CostLow

Ingredients

200/250 g Carnaroli rice
1/2 onion
1 liter of vegetable broth
300 g wild herbs such as borage flowers or nettle
50 g butter
two tablespoons of parmesan cheese
edible flowers to decorate the dish such as primrose and violet

Method

In a saucepan, heat the vegetable broth to add to the rice as it cooks;
Finely chop the onion and sauté it in a pan with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil until transparent and add the wild herbs;
In a saucepan, toast the Carnaroli rice until hot;
Start adding the hot vegetable broth to the rice;
When the rice is almost al dente, transfer it to the saucepan with the prepared herbs and finish cooking, adding a little more broth if necessary.
With the heat off, proceed to cream the rice by adding the butter and grated Parmesan cheese;
Serve the risotto, decorating it with a few edible florets.

Benedetta

Neapolitan Pastiera

The Pastiera is a Neapolitan dessert typical of the Easter tradition

DifficultyMedium

€

CostMedium

Ingredients

Shortbread:
350 g 00 flour
140 g sugar
150 g soft butter
1 egg and 2 yolks
1/2 sachet of baking powder
grated rind of one orange
a pinch of salt

Filling:
Cream of wheat:
400 g of cooked wheat
150 g whole milk
zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
25 g butter
Ricotta cream:
400 g sheep's milk ricotta
300 g sugar
3 teaspoons of orange blossom
4 yolks and 2 whole eggs
70 g of candied fruit (orange and citron)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

Make a fountain with the flour, insert the sugar, soft butter and flavorings in the center;
Start working with your hands and then insert the eggs, salt and yeast dissolved in a drop of milk;
Knead the dough a little, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

For the cream of wheat:

In a saucepan, combine the cooked wheat, milk, and large sliced lemon and orange peels and cook for 15 minutes until smooth;
Remove from heat and discard the citrus peels;
Add the butter, stir and let cool completely.

For the ricotta cream:

Drain the ricotta well overnight in a colander and weigh it after it has drained;
Add the sugar and let it marinate until well absorbed;
Sift the ricotta, add the cinnamon and flavorings and stir well;
Add the eggs and yolks one at a time and let them absorb well; finally, add the candied fruit in small pieces;
Now combine the two cold creams.

Assembly:

Roll out the shortcrust pastry to a thickness of about 4 mm and line a (medium/large) pastry pan, previously buttered and floured;
Remove excess shortcrust pastry (which you will use for the strips), prick the bottom and insert the cream until 6/7 mm from the edge;
Make the strips and lay them on top in diamond shapes.

Antonella

Neapolitan Pastiera

The Pastiera is a Neapolitan dessert typical of the Easter tradition

DifficultyMedium

€

CostMedium

Ingredients

Shortbread:
350 g 00 flour
140 g sugar
150 g soft butter
1 egg and 2 yolks
1/2 sachet of baking powder
grated rind of one orange
a pinch of salt

Filling:
Cream of wheat:
400 g of cooked wheat
150 g whole milk
zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
25 g butter
Ricotta cream:
400 g sheep's milk ricotta
300 g sugar
3 teaspoons of orange blossom
4 yolks and 2 whole eggs
70 g of candied fruit (orange and citron)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

Make a fountain with the flour, insert the sugar, soft butter and flavorings in the center;
Start working with your hands and then insert the eggs, salt and yeast dissolved in a drop of milk;
Knead the dough a little, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

For the cream of wheat:

In a saucepan, combine the cooked wheat, milk, and large sliced lemon and orange peels and cook for 15 minutes until smooth;
Remove from heat and discard the citrus peels;
Add the butter, stir and let cool completely.

For the ricotta cream:

Drain the ricotta well overnight in a colander and weigh it after it has drained;
Add the sugar and let it marinate until well absorbed;
Sift the ricotta, add the cinnamon and flavorings and stir well;
Add the eggs and yolks one at a time and let them absorb well; finally, add the candied fruit in small pieces;
Now combine the two cold creams.

Assembly:

Roll out the shortcrust pastry to a thickness of about 4 mm and line a (medium/large) pastry pan, previously buttered and floured;
Remove excess shortcrust pastry (which you will use for the strips), prick the bottom and insert the cream until 6/7 mm from the edge;
Make the strips and lay them on top in diamond shapes.

Antonella