Every festivity in Puglia is closely interwoven with culinary traditions, and Easter day, which commemorates the Resurrection of Christ, makes no exception. On Easter Sunday, the people of Puglia go to church to participate in Easter Mass and at noon, continue their celebration with an abundant typical Pugliese lunch.
In the New Testament it is written: “Here is the Lamb of God, here is he who takes on himself all the sins of the world”. That’s why the sacrificial lamb, representing the son of God, is mainly the symbol of the Resurrection in Christianity and can be found on almost all the tables celebrating Easter in Puglia. The Easter Sunday lunch in Puglia involves gathering the whole family, with grandparents and grandchildren, around the table to share the joy of this event.
Typical Easter dishes when on holiday in Puglia
Among the several antipasti, there are the typical of this period tender and crispy pittule, fried pastry filled with cauliflowers, anchovies or tomatoes and capers.
The first course can vary from the traditional Italian lasagna or cannelloni to more local ciceri e tria, a mix of fried and boiled long handmade pasta with chickpeas.
Lamb, the main meal of the Easter table in Puglia, is usually consumed roasted or served as a stew with vegetables. Another typical main meal of the day is “gnommareddhi”, roasted lamb entrails with parsley.
(Photo: courtesy of Bar Pasticceria Claudio, Taviano).
Puglian Desserts
Easter culinary traditions of Puglia offer lots of sweets to taste. It is impossible to imagine the Easter in Puglia without almond paste lambs. These are sweets in almond paste (made from ground almonds and sugar in equal quantities) filled with jam, which take the shape of lambs. They are adorned with a cross, a banner and other decorations such as small eggs or bells, according to the confectioner’s creativity.
Scarcella, called “Pupa cu l’ou” – doll with an egg – in southern Pugliese dialect, is an aromatic bread made in different shapes such as dolls, roosters, sheep and bags with eggs inside, baked in oven and then topped with sugar icing and colorful sprinkles
Of course, there is no place in the world without Easter chocolate eggs. In Puglia, they are beautifully decorated and wrapped together with surprises for children.
(Photo: courtesy of Bar Pasticceria Claudio, Taviano).
Picnic for Pasquetta
Now you would think that this must be the end of Easter holidays in Puglia, but there is still Easter Monday, called Pasquetta, which comes the day after Easter!
Monday is picnic time for Pugliese families. Gathering together relatives and friends, the locals go for a picnic in the picturesque countryside of Puglia, somewhere under the shadow of olive trees, as it is usually already quite hot in spring. Some people prefer to have a picnic on the beach, enjoying the sound of the waves.
The traditional Easter celebrations in this fascinating Italian region are very captivating! Spending Easter holidays in Puglia, you will feel the intense spirituality of the cordial people of Puglia. Besides, you will have lots of unforgettable moments experiencing the Pugliese ancient culinary traditions and exploring several beautiful and magic cities across the southern ‘heel’ of Italy.