As the name suggests, this is an ancient Sicilian Easter dish, likely originating from the noble and conventual kitchens of the Palermo area in the 18th century. It’s a somewhat outdated recipe not commonly found in cookbooks, but one that is visually impressive and yields exquisite results. Like Easter eggs, it hides a surprise inside: beneath a layer of lettuce leaves, a true triumph of flavors linked to the spring season, during which the Christian holiday is celebrated.
Easter Shell Pastry
An ancient Sicilian Easter recipe, perhaps a bit old-fashioned, but certainly impressive
Preparation time2h
Cooking time20m
Servings4
Ingredients
- 250 grams of shell pasta
- 100 grams of ground pork
- Celery, onion, and carrot for the sauté
- Half an onion and half a clove of garlic
- One head of lettuce, one artichoke
- 50 grams of peeled fava beans
- 75 grams of shelled peas
- Half a tablespoon of fennel seeds
- 100 grams of caciocavallo cheese
- 25 grams of Parmigiano Reggiano
- Half a glass of white wine
- Broth
- 25 grams of butter
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
Method
- Line a Timbale mold with parchment paper. Arrange the most beautiful lettuce leaves in the mold after blanching them, covering it evenly.
- Meanwhile, prepare a chopped mixture of onion, celery, and carrot, and sauté it. Add the ground pork, white wine, and add broth as needed.
- Add the fennel seeds, salt, cover, and cook on low heat until the "ragù" has completely reduced.
- In a pan, sauté the onion, garlic, fava beans, peas, artichoke hearts, and lettuce hearts cut into strips. Cover and cook, being careful not to let it dry out. Finally, season with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of oil.
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water, drain it al dente, and toss it with butter, grated Parmigiano, pork ragù, the vegetables, and diced caciocavallo.
- Pour the pasta into the prepared mold lined with lettuce leaves, then immerse it in water and continue cooking in a bain-marie for about one hour.
- Finally, place it in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 20 minutes.
- Wait about 10 minutes before unmolding it.
Corsi di cucina, tour e cene in Sicilia
Pronti per un itinerario 100% siciliano? Scoprite le nostre esperienze gastronomiche in tutta l'isola, esplorando splendide città come Palermo, Catania e Siracusa. Visitate i mercati del pesce locali e imparate a cucinare le ricette locali, dai piatti di pasta come le busiate o la norma fino alle dolci prelibatezze come i cannoli. La Sicilia e i suoi sapori vi aspettano!
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