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You can’t go wrong with Easter eggs. Now before you go off on me remember there not really eggs; there full of yummy chocolate. What guest wouldn’t like that eh, eh?

If you do not like home made,why ask , eat out.

Easter in Italian culture is HUGE and so is the food normally. The Catholic church combined the pagan Festivus and fertility festivals with the celebration of Easter centuries ago, making a huge celebration of life and food culture in many European cultures.

There are so many!!! I hope you can find a region of Italian food to choose – I am Sicilian, Apuliese and French by birth and I have my favorites around coastal regions. Apulia has the most coastline of all Italy, and as far as I’m concerned the best food region – but I think I’ll give you some Sicilian recipes because they are unique and a bit tricky. Sicily is so great because of it’s rich history and culture – the island has been dominated by Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, French and Spaniards over the past – what a great culinary melting pot!

What you should first know is that most dishes created at an Easter dinner or event will utilize the best, most expensive or rare ingredients. This is a time to spare no expense, always remembering it is an event rather than a meal. Livestock was slaughtered, the first spring plants were harvested and wines were at their fruitiest – not to mention the cheeses!

Coscia di Agnello Arrosto e Patate Arrosto – Leg of Lamb with Roasted Potatoes
Roast lamb, with a few exceptions, is the first choice of those celebrating Easter around the World.
2 large lemons, zest of 1 removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
3 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
a 7-9 pound leg of lamb
2 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs and lemon wedges
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut off and discard pith from zested lemon and cut off and discard zest and pith from other lemon. In a saucepan of boiling water blanch zest 1 minute and drain in a colander. Cut each lemon crosswise into 6 slices. In a small food processor blend rosemary, garlic, zest, 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, and salt until mixture is chopped fine.
With tip of a small sharp knife cut small slits all over lamb and rub rosemary mixture over lamb, rubbing into slits. Arrange lemon slices in middle of a large roasting pan and arrange lamb on them. Roast lamb in middle of oven 45 minutes.
Quarter potatoes and in a saucepan cover with salted cold water by 1 inch. Bring water to a boil and cook potatoes, covered, 5 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander and in a bowl toss with remaining tablespoon oil. Arrange potatoes around lamb and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Roast lamb and potatoes, stirring potatoes occasionally, 55 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 140°F. for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand 15 minutes. Increase temperature to 500°F. and roast potatoes and lemons in one layer 5 to 10 minutes more, or until golden. Transfer potatoes and lemons with a slotted spoon to bowl and toss with chives. Transfer potato mixture to a platter.
Serve lamb, sliced thin across grain, with potatoes, garnished with rosemary and lemon wedges.

Piselli verdi alla Menta – Green Peas with Mint
Easy, fast and delicious, this recipe compliments the roast lamb
One box of fresh frozen green peas
sweet butter
fresh mint
Defrost the peas by emptying the package into a colander and put under cold running water. In a small pan, put one-quarter of a stick of butter, peas and chopped mint. Saute’ lightly and serve.

Easter Monday is a really fun holiday in Italy. It is traditionally the first picnic day of the year and just about everyone in Italy goes on a picnic. The following recipes are suggestions for that picnic or any Italian picnic you might wish to create. They include several versions of the traditional savory Easter Pie.

Whether you celebrate Easter Monday (la pasquetta) or another picnic or event where an especially delicious filled egg would be good, you will enjoy this recipe…

Stuffed Eggs Verde
6 large eggs, hard-cooked
2-3 tablespoons Salsa Verde Piccante
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
Capers, olive slices, pimiento, or anchovy, optional for garnishes
Salsa Verde
Whether as a topping or an ingredient, Salsa Verde Piccante is a delicious green herb sauce that adds tremendous menu versatility. Makes: about 3/4 cup
1/2 slice white bread, crust removed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
2 cups loosely packed Italian parsley
1 large clove garlic
1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil
1 teaspoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon capers, well rinsed
4 flat anchovy filets
6-8 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Break bread into pieces and place in a small bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice and vinegar. Set aside.
Place parsley and garlic in bowl of food processor or blender; swirl until finely chopped. Add basil, chives, capers anchovies, and bread pieces. Process/pulse 4-5 times to make a finely chopped mixture. With machine running, gradually add 4 tablespoons oil. Scrape down sides of bowl or blender; add remaining oil slowly with processor running until sauce reaches the desired consistency. Taste for seasoning. Add salt, pepper, and more lemon juice or vinegar, as desired. Refrigerate. Serve at room temperature as a dip for crusty breads or raw vegetables, as an accompaniment to mixed boiled meats, chicken, fish, or cooked vegetables, or as a condiment to cold meats, fish and eggs.
Shell the eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks; reserve the whites in tact. Combine the yolks, Salsa Verde, and mayonnaise; mix well. Spoon into open cups of the egg whites mounding the top somewhat. Garnish eggs as you choose. Chill. Serve at room temperature.
Makes: 12 appetizers
Triple Squash Frittata
This versatile vegetable frittata is a great do-ahead dish for small get-togethers or family picnics. Accompany with rustic bread, imported olives and assorted cheeses.
3 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 small yellow crookneck squash, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 small pattypan squash, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 small onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
12 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons
black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
Fresh herb sprigs, for garnish
Saute’ squash and onion in heated oil in large saute’ pan set over high heat, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes or until tender-crisp. Transfer to large bowl and cool to room temperature. When cool, add eggs, pepper and thyme. Mix well. Place nonstick oven-proof 10-inch saute’ pan (with sloped sides) over moderately high heat. When pan is warm, add egg mixture and stir quickly from outside of pan toward center (as if making scrambled eggs), until about 1/4 of mixture is set. Smooth top. Remove from heat and transfer to middle rack of oven. Bake at 325 degrees 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. To unmold, run dull knife around outside edges of pan, gently pulling frittata up and toward center to loosen it from bottom of pan. Firmly hold platter over top of pan and with one quick movement; flip pan and platter over together, so that frittata gently unmolds onto platter. Serve at room temperature, sliced into wedges and garnished with herb sprigs. Makes about
6 servings.

Cassata Siciliana al Forno – Baked Sicilian Cassata
This is a traditional Easter dessert in Sicily.
1 1/4 pounds fresh ricotta (the crumbly kind one buys in delicatessens)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 pound diced candied melon rind, finely diced
1/4 pound diced candied orange peel, finely diced
1/4 pound baking chocolate, finely shaved
A pinch vanilla (figure 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Pasta frolla sufficient to line and cover a 9-inch pan (see below)
Confectioner’s (powdered) sugar for dusting
Pan di Spagna

This is the recipe developed by Salvatore Beninati, pastry chef of the Antica Pasticceria Mazzarra in Via Generale Magliocco 15/21, where Tommasi di Lampedusa wrote much of his celebrated Il Gattopardo.

Put the ricotta through a strainer and mix it with the sugar (Ada Boni, in her recipe, suggests you beat the sugar and ricotta until the mixture is light and fluffy). Stir in the vanilla, candied fruit and chocolate, mixing well to distribute them evenly.

Roll out your pasta frolla and line a 9-inch cake pan with it. Lay down a layer of crumbled pan di spagna over the dough, spoon the ricotta mixture over it, and cover everything with a second sheet of pasta frolla. Bake in a moderate (370 F, 185 C) oven until the pasta frolla is lightly browned (don’t let it over brown or it will become quite hard). Remove it from the pan when it has cooled and dust it with the confectioner’s sugar.

Note: Ada Boni suggests a slightly different procedure. She has you line your cake pan with oven paper, then with pieces of pan di spagna cut into strips so as to make a pan di spagna box, which should be filled with the ricotta mixture and covered with a thin lid of pan di spagna. She then has you chill the cassata and remove it from the pan by covering the cake with a serving plate, flipping everything, and carefully lifting away the pan and the paper. Then she tells you to dust the cake with powdered sugar — no baking other than that of the pan di spagna involved.

In any case, with regards to Cassateddi di Ricotta, Mr. Correnti says, “they’re an Easter cake, common throughout the Island (in the past they were also made from boiled ground chick peas mixed with cooked wine), especially in the Modiciano area. They’re made by splitting small loaves of pan di spagna and filling them with ricotta that has been put through a strainer, sweetened with sugar, and enriched with chocolate and candied fruit. At Modica they’re also made with tuma, a very fresh unsalted cheese. Dusted with an abundance of confectioner’s sugar, they’re topped with candied cherries. A more recent variation has them filled with crema pasticcera (pastry cream) and topped with sugar frosting. The popularity of “cassatelle” has led to the saying, cu nn’appi n’appi cassateddi ri Pasqua, which one uses in Sicily at the end of any event, meaning that it’s time for all, those pleased and those less so, turn their attention to other things.”
Serves 10.
From about.com Italian Food

Pasta Frolla:
Pasta frolla is quite similar to shortbread, and is used primarily to make pies, cookies and crostate, though it does also get used in some main-course dishes, for example pasticcio di tortellini all’emiliana. This recipe, which is derived from Artusi, is pretty much standard.

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg and 1 yolk
The grated zest of a half a lemon or a quarter of an orange

Mix the flour and sugar; cream the butter. Combine the ingredients, handling them as little as possible to keep the butter from melting (a pastry blender makes this easier). If it’s more convenient for you to make the dough a day ahead, do so because it improves with age; it should in any case rest for at least an hour.

When you roll it out, do so quickly, without working it overmuch, lest it become crumbly. When you bake it (use the times suggested in the recipe), only bake it until it’s a light golden brown — if it starts to darken it’s burning (this can happen quite suddenly, so keep an eye on your oven).

Unique! I am not sure about that, but My family always has ham, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, carrots, garden salad and home made rolls for lunch. At dinner we always have shrimp or crab legs, garden salad, broccoli,baked potatoes and home made cinnamon rolls.

Easter dinner try lamb shanks with italian seasoned rub