10 traditional Italian Easter desserts.

There are a wide range of sweet Italian treats to enjoy this Easter 2023; some are very simple desserts and pastries linked to the peasant culture, while others are more elaborate and colourful. There are desserts strongly linked to the territory and others that have gone beyond the regional borders and then become a symbol of Easter in Italy. You can either follow these Italian Easter dessert recipes at home or enjoy them in their finest form on a trip to the country. 

NORTHERN ITALY

Colomba - Lombardy

Colomba di Pasqua [Easter Dove Bread] is a 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 covered with pearl sugar and almonds and is baked in the shape of a dove to symbolise peace.

Pinza - Friuli Venezia Giulia

The Pinza is a soft and delicate loaf bread which is not too sweet and is flavoured with lemon and orange zest.This sweet treat is typically found in Trieste and the tradition is to enjoy it accompanied by a slice of ham to break fasting after Lent 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 with a shape reminiscent of salami. This sweet treat is a pleasant surprise and contains typical Piedmontese ingredients such as butter, hazelnuts, and cocoa. This is the perfect treat for Easter or any time of year and is loved by all the family. This traditional Italian Easter dessert is also simple to prepare at home as it isn't cooked in the oven and is quick to make - just add all the ingredients together with butter and form a sausage-like shape before leaving to set in the fridge so it can be sliced.

CENTRAL ITALY

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

The tortano is prepared in Gaeta [Latina], in southern Lazio. It is a donut-shaped cake made with icing sugar and egg whites, decorated with an abundance of coloured sprinkles. It is a very simple dessert full of unique goodness, seeming almost like eating a cloud as it's so soft. For the different aromas, you can use almond or citrus. Take note that it's important to whisk the eggs well with the sugar until they become light and fluffy, as this guarantees the right level of softness and a good amount of air for this typical Italian dessert.

SOUTHERN ITALY

Pastiera Napoletana - Campania

This Italian 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 recipe 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.

THE ISLANDS

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.