Easter in Rome: breakfast, lunch and traditions

From the supermarket, through the kitchen and then finally at the table! Let’s celebrate with the traditional Easter breakfast and discover together which typical products we need in Rome.

The Easter breakfast in Rome

After Christmas comes Easter. This is another important moment of the year for us Italians, which invites sharing. And we know that in Italy if we talk about sharing we also talk about food. Easter breakfast marks the breaking of the fast of Lent and represents the rebirth. For this reason it must be abundant and rich in both sweet and savory preparations. Cured meats, sausages, cakes, eggs, meat, vegetables and desserts. But, let’s focus on Rome and the traditional products of its reinforced breakfast. Let’s see together what to put in the shopping cart to make sure we have everything we need for the traditional Easter breakfast in Rome.

Easter breakfast shopping in Rome

We suggest always to choose the ingredients carefully. Let’s prefer local markets or local grocery stores, where we know that the products are fresh and top quality. Firstly, we start with eggs, which are used for multiple preparations. Obviously, we can’t forget the chocolate ones. Dark, milk, white, with hazelnuts or pistachio. So on and so forth! Secondly let’s buy the Roman Corallina. The meat of this salami comes from the pork shoulder, while the lard part is fat obtained from the loin. The two parts are then combined and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and wine. Let’s move on to the inevitable Parmigiano and Pecorino cheeses. Then, we need flour to prepare traditional Easter cakes or tarts. Let’s not forget the artichokes for the frittata and for the Coratella. It’s a typical roman dish with lamb’s offal. Finally, choose a tasty Easter Colomba, the traditional Easter cake with the shape of a dove.

Easter recipes: in the kitchen in Rome

Now we have everything we need to go to the kitchen and prepare our Easter breakfast! Let’s see together two traditional recipes for the Easter breakfast in Rome. First of all, the Pizza Sbattuta Romana, that is not a pizza but a sweet cake, very similar to a sponge cake, prepared without the addition of baking powder. Sbattuta stands for whisked. That’s why the eggs must be beaten for a long time, to incorporate air and get fluffy. This cake can be served with both sweet creams and savory fillings. The second recipe is the tasty artichoke frittata, the typical italian omelette. Artichokes are a must, even because this is the perfect season.

Pizza Sbattuta Romana

6 eggs

150g sugar

1 pod of vanilla seeds

150g 00 flour (for all purpose)

1 lemon peel

1 pinch of fine salt

Beat the eggs (if you are brave enough, you can do it by hand, with a fork, as per the original recipe) with the sugar, lemon zest and vanilla. Eggs need to be beaten for a long time. About 30 minutes if using a mixer, 45 minutes with a fork. The mixture must be very puffy and light. Add the sifted flour and the pinch of salt and mix gently with a wooden spoon, from bottom to top so as not to lose the fluffiness. Pour everything into a 22-24 cm diameter, high-sided baking pan, already buttered and floured. Cook at 170° for approximately 40-60 minutes. Once cooked, turn off the oven, open the door and leave the cake inside for about ten minutes, so as to form the typical crust.

Artichoke Frittata

4-6 eggs

5-6 artichokes

80g grated pecorino romano cheese

1 clove of garlic

2 lemons

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

First you need to wash and clean the artichokes. Remove the tough outer leaves and the internal prickly part. Cut the artichokes in half, including the stems, and immerse them in a basin with water and lemon juice, to avoid oxidation. Then drain them and cut them into strips. In a pan, heat the oil with the garlic clove and then add the artichokes. Let them cook on high heat for a few minutes and add a little water if necessary. Complete cooking by covering with the lid. In the meantime, break the eggs and add salt, pepper and pecorino cheese. Beat them well with a fork. Raise the heat a little and add the beaten eggs in the pan together with the artichokes. At the right time, flip the frittata so that the other side also cooks. Serve it.

How to set the Easter table

It is important to set the table for the traditional Easter breakfast as if it were a normal meal and not a simple breakfast. First of all it must be beautiful and colourful. In fact, usually the eggs are first hard-boiled and then colored on the shell. Easter chocolate eggs are often used for the famous Squajo, or cioccolato a squajo. It is a hot chocolate flavored with vanilla and cinnamon that is often eaten together with the Pizza Sbattuta. Along with sweet cakes, such as the Colomba and the various tarts, savory ones must also appear. The Crescia, also called Pizza al formaggio, or the pie filled with vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and prosciutto or salami. All the salami, such as Roman Corallina, must be rigorously sliced in order to be consumed together with bread or savory pies.

Ready for a journey into taste? Besides Easter breakfast, come with us to taste other delicious products during our food walking tours!