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April 27 - May 4,2003 |
Lamb and eggs for Easter
Italian Pasqua traditions make tasty use of rabbit and sweets
By Lynn Luciani
Originally Published: 2003-04-13
Of all the other symbols of Easter, the cross (resurrection), the lily (earth's cycles), and the lamb (birth and the shepherd), my nonna would tell me there's no Easter without eggs! Eggs are the most characteristic symbol associated with Easter and are believed to be representative of self-renewing life, the essence of spring, of earth's fertility and of hope for the future.
The custom of using eggs has been associated with Easter for centuries. Our family didn't colour hard-boiled eggs, but as a little girl I do remember the giant uova di pasqua (giant chocolate egg) that would be waiting for me on Easter morning. I would unwrap the shiny, colourful foil and break the milk chocolate outer shell to get at the surprise that was hidden inside. One year it was a plastic necklace with matching earrings and another it was a fluffy, stuffed bunny.
Easter dinner was always held early in the day. My family always went to midnight mass on Saturday, so the entire Sunday was devoted to indulging in a feast surrounded by family and friends.
Our meal generally began with an egg-drop soup. A clear broth with egg and Parmesan cheese stirred throughout it. Lamb was the main meat on our Easter Sunday table. I remember one special Easter we had coniglietto (rabbit) to accompany the lamb, but it wasn't a regular tradition in my family like it was with others.
My nonna would tell us tales of Easter back home in Italy. They would cook lamb over an open fire on a spit. It was a manual spit that the men of the household would take turns turning. It had to be turned for hours so they would sit by the fire, baste the lamb, stoke the fire and turn the handle with one hand and have a full glass of wine in the other to keep them going. Lamb was not prepared at any other time of year so this was a very special event.
Here in Canada, we didn't have an open fire pit so we couldn't roast a whole lamb. Instead we braised a leg of lamb on the stove with plenty of wine, broth and herbs. The rest of the Easter menu contained garlic and rosemary roasted potatoes, a tossed salad with romaine lettuce, olives, artichoke hearts and sliced tomatoes with parsley and garlic. On the table at all times was plenty of robust home-made red wine.
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