Easter (Pasqua) is, of course, a major catholic holiday and hence widely celebrated in Italy. La Pasqua has important ties, but also significant differences, with the Jewish Passover: You can read more about the common origins of the words Passover and Pasqua on our blog.
In Italy, there are two very important symbols of Easter, which happen to be as delicious to eat as they are symbolic of the day: the Easter egg (l’uovo di Pasqua) and a cake in the shape of the dove (la colomba).
L’uovo di Pasqua is a symbol of resurrection in the Christian tradition. It is made of chocolate (cioccolato) and wrapped in colorful paper. Inside there is always a sorpresa (a surprise). The sopresa inside varies depending on the egg from small trinkets for children to car keys for a truly extravagant Easter gift. They can range in size as well from smaller than an actual egg to gargantuan. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI was presented with a 550 pound chocolate egg.
Another culinary custom at Easter is the dove (la colomba), a cake whose shape resembles that of a dove with outstretched wings. There are many variations of the cake according to producers, regions, and tastes. If you want to try your hand at making your own “colomba cake,” here is a simple-to-follow video recipe:
As important as it is, Pasqua remains second to Christmas in popular culture, so much so that a popular saying goes “Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi“. (i.e. spend Christmas with your family, but Eastern with whoever you choose).
