Liguria celebrates Easter with delicious dishes that come to life thanks to century-old recipes, authentic spring flavors and the essence of local cuisine. Discover the traditional Easter dishes from Liguria!
The protagonist: the “torta pasqualina”
The main symbol of the region’s Easter cuisine is the torta pasqualina, a savory pie dating back to the 16th century.
Once upon a time, this dish was prepared with 33 layers of thinly rolled pastry, representing the 33 years of Christ’s life. Families would prepare it at home and then take it to a proper bakery for baking. This is because, in ancient times, not everyone had an oven in their kitchen. Each family engraved their initials on the surface to distinguish it from other pies at the bakery.
Over time, the number of layers has decreased because this is a laborious and time-consuming recipe. Nevertheless, the torta pasqualina remains a delicious and striking dish.
Ligurians usually enjoy it for lunch on Easter Sunday and even on the typical family excursions and picnics on Easter Monday. It can be served hot or cold; it is equally tasty!
A revisitation of the pasqualina Easter pie
Are you looking for an original Easter recipe to surprise your guests and bring home a bit of Liguria? Discover the revisited recipe for “pasqualina savory cream puffs with hollandaise sauce” proposed by the chefs at Palmaria Restaurant in Portovenere.
Ligurian Easter dessert: the cavagnetti
The cavagnetti are small basket-shaped leavened dough pastries that “embrace” a hard-boiled egg. At Easter, the egg symbolizes rebirth.
In the past, they were the main Easter dessert in Liguria and were taken to church for blessing before being distributed to children. Eventually, the colomba (dove-shaped cake) took over as the star dessert of the season, like in the rest of Italy.
The name of this dessert derives from cavagna, which in the Ligurian dialect means basket. Some who follow this ancient tradition paint the eggshell red to represent life and love.
Check out the cavagnetti recipe by Enrica at A Small Kitchen in Genoa.
More food delights from Easter in Liguria
Like in most parts of Italy, roast lamb is a typical Easter food in Liguria. This Italian gastronomic tradition references the sacrificial rituals of Passover. In Liguria, the lamb is usually served with potatoes or artichokes.
Cima alla genovese is another meat-based dish that is very popular in the region, especially in and around the capital, Genoa. This meatloaf is made of veal breast and stuffed with many ingredients like onions, pork fat, ground veal, eggs, and cheese.
If you love rich flavors, don’t miss the lattughe ripiene in brodo, or stuffed lettuce in broth. The lettuce usually wraps various ingredients such as veal or beef meat, mushrooms, ricotta, parmesan and eggs.
In addition to the cavagnetti, the biscotti quaresimali are another sweet option to close your Easter meal. They are cookies made with almonds and orange blossom water, shaped like tiny donuts and decorated with glaze and colorful pralines.
Cin cin! Combine the right wines
Virgilio Pronzati, a journalist specializing in enogastronomy, recommends combining the best local Ligurian wines with these traditional Easter food delicacies:
- The torta pasqualina matches with young white wines like Golfo del Tigullio Vermentino.
- For the stuffed lettuce in broth and the cima alla genovese, you’ll appreciate light-red wines like Riviera Ligure di Ponente Rossese and Golfo del Tigullio Ciliegiolo.
- The roast lamb dish pairs perfectly with a fine red wine like Dolceacqua.
- To complete this gourmet journey, enjoy the Easter desserts with the aromatic white Golfo del Tigullio Moscato.
Easter in Portovenere
In the Gulf of Poets, one of Liguria’s most beautiful destinations, Grand Hotel Portovenere and Palmaria Restaurant propose a special stay and delicious menu for Easter. Discover more and book your Easter break in Portovenere.
