Easter 2024 is just around the corner, and Italy and its Easter traditions are waiting to be discovered. Whether you decide to take a trip to Italy this Easter to enjoy the celebrations and festivities, or whether you decide to stay at home, there’s no excuse not to enjoy the finest Italian Easter traditions, many of which involve food.
Italian Easter desserts are deeply rooted in tradition and often vary depending on the region. There are a wide range of sweet treats to enjoy this Easter 2024 in Italy; some are very simple desserts and pastries linked to the peasant culture, while others are more elaborate and colourful. You can either follow these Italian Easter dessert recipes at home or enjoy them in their finest form on a trip to the country.
Let’s find out about 10 traditional Easter desserts from all over Italy on our Italian gastronomic tour of the country.
Colomba di Pasqua – Lombardy
Colomba di Pasqua (literally meaning Easter Dove Bread in English) is an traditional Italian Easter cake. It is one of the most popular Easter cakes in Italy, but also the most commercialised: you can find it in basically all Italian patisseries and bakeries, and even in supermarkets. The dough for the colomba is a simple recipe made with flour, eggs, sugar, natural yeast and butter and is covered with pearl sugar and almonds, and is baked in the shape of a dove to symbolise peace.
Pinza – Friuli Venezia Giulia
Pinza is a tender and subtle loaf of bread, delicately flavored with lemon and orange zest. It strikes a balance of sweetness, avoiding overwhelming sugary notes. This delightful indulgence is commonly associated with Trieste. It’s customary to relish it alongside a slice of ham, symbolising the end of Lenten fasting on Good Friday. On the surface, you can generally find a drawing of what looks like the letter Y, a symbol which recalls the passion of Christ given that Italy is traditionally a Catholic country.
Salame del papa – Piedmont
The “salame del papa” or chocolate salami is an Italian Easter dessert shaped reminiscent of traditional salami. This delightful confection is a delightful surprise, featuring typical Piedmontese ingredients such as butter, hazelnuts, and cocoa. Perfect for Easter or any occasion throughout the year, it’s adored by the whole family. This classic Italian Easter treat is also effortlessly prepared at home, as it requires no baking. Simply combine all the ingredients with butter, shape them into a sausage-like form, then allow it to set in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.
Pasimata – Tuscany
La pasimata is a Tuscan Easter cake with a long and laborious preparation (often as long as 2 days!). Typical of Garfagnana, Lucca, the recipe details just a few simple ingredients (flour, eggs, butter, sugar, yeast) but has a great taste which is similar to panettone, but flavoured with anise and orange zest for a rich Spring flavour.
Tortano – Lazio
Our next Italian Easter dessert is the tortano that originates from Gaeta (Latina), located in southern Lazio. This cake takes on a donut-shaped form and is crafted with icing sugar and whipped egg whites, adorned with an array of colorful sprinkles. It’s a wonderfully uncomplicated dessert, brimming with distinctive flavors, reminiscent of enjoying a fluffy cloud due to its remarkable softness. For added depth of aroma, one may opt for almond or citrus variations. It’s crucial to meticulously whisk the eggs with sugar until achieving a light and airy consistency, ensuring the perfect level of softness and ample airiness for this quintessential Italian delicacy.
Pastiera Napoletana – Campania
This Itailan Easter treat is called Pastiera and is the Neapolitan Easter cake par excellence, known and appreciated throughout Italy. It is a tart made with shortbread for the crust, and filled with wheat cooked in milk and the traditional Italian ingredient of ricotta. It is often flavoured with orange zest, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon peel, candied citrus peel, orange blossom water and sometimes with pumpkin preserve.
Pastatelle – Apulia
Pastatelle is a typical Italian recipe in Apulia that you can find on many dinner tables in the region during the Easter period. They are simply panzerotti or small sweet calzoni that contain different kinds of jams. This simple Italian Easter dessert reicpe is easy to make at home, as they are then simply brushed with milk and egg yolks, baked and decorated with icing sugar for a final sweet touch.
‘Ncinetti – Calabria
The ‘Ncinetti or Uncinetti, are typical Easter biscuits that originate in the south of Italy. The ‘ncinetti are traditionally prepared on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, and then hung to decorate the palms outside churches. They are easy to make and the ingredients include eggs, sugar and flour, but are special because of their thick layer of icing made with egg yolk and anise.
Cassata – Sicily
Cassata is definitely one of the most popular Italian desserts abroad. It is a sponge cake made with creamy ricotta, aromatic almond flavours and candied fruit. There are many local varieties that make it unique and special both in appearance and taste, and if you can’t handle a whole cake, you can also buy it in single portions in most Italian bakeries, called cassatine.
Cuddura – Sardinia
This is a very simple Italian dessert made of leavened bread dough (or shortbread) and decorated with hard-boiled eggs and coloured sprinkles. This sweet Easter treat can be found in many different shapes and sizes in Italy and can be in the shape of a basket, a dove, bells, hearts, dolls, and many more. Each shape usually has its own meaning.
These are just a few examples of the diverse array of Easter desserts enjoyed throughout Italy. Each region may have its own unique specialities and variations of these traditional treats. Now that you know a bit more about some of the typical Easter pastries in Italy, you’ll definitely have to try them this Easter 2024 or even have a go at making them at home.
