Portanapoli

The traditional Easter Menu in Naples: Culinary Delicacies

At the Gulf of Naples, every day of the Easter season is characterized by a different culinary delicacy. Find out more about the Easter traditions and the Easter menu in Naples.

Traditional "Tortano" (© Portanapoli.com)

Neapolitan “Tortano” in a traditional baking pan  (© Portanapoli.com)

As Easter present people give each other big chocolate eggs, which are filled with a surprise.  Some chocolate shops in Naples produce artful chocolate eggs, which you can have filled with an individual present.

In Naples, every day of the Easter season is characterized by a different culinary delicacy

On Thursday before Easter, people traditionally prepare boiled artichokes with olive oil, salty Ricotta, and two different kinds of Neapolitan salami (fellata). Also, as a tradition, the pastiera cake is made, but it can’t be tasted until Sunday.
In the past, people fasted on Good Friday, but that tradition has changed. Today, they prepare fish from the Gulf and serve it simply with lemon and olive oil.

Pastiera necessarily belongs to the Neapolitan Easter (Foto © Tony -

Pastiera necessarily belongs to the Neapolitan Easter (Foto © Tony – Fotolia)

After the light Friday dish, il casatiello, also called tortano, is on the menu for Saturday

Il casatiello is a kind of round bread made from yeast dough with lard, pepper, and salt. Then, two different kinds of Neapolitan salami, bacon, Parmesan cheese, Pecorino, boiled eggs, smoked ham, and a lot of pepper are knead into the dough. Four raw eggs are put in the dough for decoration, and then it goes in the oven. The casatiello is not exactly a low-calorie dish, but it is very delicious!

On Easter Sunday, Neapolitans have a big meal

The traditional Easter Menu in Naples starts with salty Ricotta, Neapolitan salami and boiled eggs, followed by Minestra maritata (a kind of vegetable soup) or crostatata di tagliolini (pasta au gratin) and meet with baked potatoes and a salad as a side dish.

As dessert is served the famous pastiera. Every Neapolitan associates this cake made from boiled wheat, ricotta and candied lemon peel with Easter, and its smell accompanies every day of the Easter season.

On Easter Monday all across Italy, people take a trip to the sea or to the countryside

They prepare a frittata di maccheroni (Maccheroni baked with eggs) for a picnic, and the leftover casatiello from Saturday and the pastiera are also in the picnic basket.

Another Easter tradition is the cake called colomba, which is shaped like a dove, its name is Colomba.

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