Easter

British Easter Biscuits (cookies) can be left in a simple form or decorated as fancy as suits individual tastes. It is traditional in the UK to serve them tied with a ribbon in bunches of three to represent the Trinity. 

This plate of roast lamb is attractively accented with Klondike Roasted Herb & Garlic potatoes, Broccolini and Jasmine Rice.

 Easter Feasting

I think of the garden after the rain;

And hope to my heart comes singing,

"At morn the cherry-blooms will be white,

And the Easter bells be ringing!

~ Edna Dean Procter

Hard-boiled eggs may be the first food that comes to come to mind when thinking of Easter but many other foods factor into traditional Easter meals around the world.

Hot Cross Buns and Easter Cakes (cookies) are a particular English favorite. The Hot Cross Bun custom is supposedly derived from ancient Anglo-Saxons who baked small wheat cakes in honor of the springtime goddess, Eostre. After converting to Christianity, the church substituted with sweetbreads that had been blessed by the church for the more benign wheat cakes.

Countries around the world serve sweet cakes in the same vein, including Czech babobka and Polish baba. The Greeks and Portuguese enjoy round, flat loaves marked with a cross and decorated with Easter eggs while Syrian and Jordanian Christians serve honey pastries.

Roast lamb dinner has been a long-standing Easter tradition for many but it goes back earlier than Easter to the first Passover of the Jewish people. A sacrificial lamb was roasted and eaten along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs in hopes that the angel of God would pass over their homes and bring no harm and as Hebrews converted to Christianity, they brought their customs with them. Christians often refer to Jesus as The Lamb of God, thus merging the traditions.

Ham is a frequent choice in the United States. Before refrigeration, meat was slaughtered in the fall and the fresh pork that wasn't consumed during the winter months before Lent was cured for later use. The curing process was lengthy and because it was around the advent of Easter before they were ready to eat, making ham was a natural choice for the holiday menu.

On a side note, while they might not seem like Easter food, pretzels in fact are just that. They were first baked in a shape to indicate the torso of a person with arms folded and praying to mark this religious occasion. Whatever your preference, you might find trying seasonal favorites from other cultures interesting and worthwhile.

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Babka is slightly sweet yeast bread similar to Italian panettone that can be made with rum-soaked raisins, and iced or left plain. The name, which literally means "grandmother" in Polish, probably got the name because its shape is reminiscent of an old woman's wide, swirling skirts. Traditional babka is made with an enormous number of egg yolks but this recipe is lighter on cholesterol load, requires no kneading and only has to rise one time.

Easy Easter Babka

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 c. warm water (no hotter than 110 degrees)

1 c. scalded milk

6 oz. unsalted butter

3/4 c. sugar

1 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

3 large beaten eggs

4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 T. lemon zest, opt.

1/2-1 cup raisins

Confectioners' sugar, opt.

Icing: (optional)

2/3 c. confectioners' sugar

2 T. lemon juice

1 T. boiling water

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Place butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer, and pour scaled milk over it. Using the paddle attachment, mix until butter has melted and milk has cooled to 110° degrees or below. Mix in the vanilla and eggs and add yeast and mix until well combined.

Add flour, lemon zest (if using) and raisins and combine thoroughly. Dough should be of a thick cake batter consistency.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 10-inch babka pan, kugelhopf pan, Turk's head pan (turban pan), bundt pan or plain tube pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan and cover lightly with greased plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk or dough just reaches the top of the pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes until instant-read thermometer registers 190° or a toothpick inserted near the center tests clean.

Cool on a wire rack and dust with confectioners' sugar if desired before serving. You may also drizzle the cooled cake with a mixture of confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and boiling water.

British Easter Biscuits

90 (scant half cup) grams butter

1 egg separated

Pinch salt

20 grams (2-1/2 T.) mixed citrus peel

Extra castor sugar

90 grams (scant half cup) castor sugar

180 grams (1-1/2 + 2 t.) self-raising flour

40 (4-5 T.) grams currants

1-2 T. milk or brandy

Cream butter and sugar and beat in egg yolk. Sift flour and salt and fold into creamed mixture. Add fruit and mix well. Add enough milk or brandy to make a soft dough, knead lightly and roll out on a floured surface to 5 mm thickness.

Cut with a fluted cutter and make a small hole to one side of each biscuit.

Place on greased baking tray and bake on top shelf (rack) for 10 minutes in a moderate oven. Remove from oven, brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Pizza Con Prosciutto is a popular Easter dish in many parts of Italy

Pizza Con Prosciutto

Filling

225 grams (1 lb.) proscuitto ham about 6mm thick

1 link dried sweet sausage

225 grams (1 lb.) mozzarella diced

700 grams (5 c. + 1 T.) ricotta cheese

1 c. grated percorino cheese

Dough

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 eggs

3 T. milk

2 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 190° C. (375 F). Dice ham and sausage, mix with all of the cheeses and set aside.

Sift flour into a bowl and make a well in it. Add eggs, milk and butter, mixing gradually. Knead well, roll mixture into a ball and cut it into two equal parts. Roll one half out on a floured board, lift it into a pie dish and spread filling mixture evenly over crust.

Roll out remaining pastry, place on top and seal by pressing edges together. Bake until brown, approximately one hour. Serve at room temperature.

This “nutty” take on roast lamb should make almond lovers happy.

Amaretto Almond Encrusted Lamb Roast

Rind from one whole orange

2 c. water

1/3 c. crushed almonds

2 T. DISARONNO® Originale Amaretto

1/3 c. breadcrumbs

1 small bunch of parsley

1/2 c. sugar

16-20-oz. rack of lamb (ask butcher to dress rack and trim all fat from ribs)

Butter, room temperature

Set oven at 400°F to preheat.

Boil orange rind in small saucepan with water and sugar. Cook for 15 minutes; drain well and set aside to cool. Chop parsley fine, making sure it is completely dry before using.

Combine parsley, crushed almonds, breadcrumbs and amaretto in a food processor and blend well. Set aside.

Place rack of lamb in a roasting pan and place pan on middle rack of oven. Roast 15 minutes for medium rare, 20 minutes for medium and 28 minutes to well done. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.

Separate lamb ribs and rub butter around the edges of each one. Roll edges in mixture of dry ingredients and amaretto mixture.

Arrange ribs on a platter and garnish with prepared orange rind.

Easter Symbols

Ø Easter Bells are rung in France and Italy throughout the year but not rung on the Thursday before Good Friday. They are silent as a way to remember the death of Jesus and rung again on Easter Sunday as way of telling people Jesus is alive again.

Ø The Cross is the symbol for the Christian religion as Jesus was nailed to a cross when he was executed.

Ø The Easter Lily is a reminder to the Christians of how Jesus came back to life. It is supposed to be a symbol of the purity of the Virgin Mary and is used in many Easter services.

Ø Easter Flowers such as daffodil, narcissus and the tulip are also symbols as they bloom in the spring.

Ø Pussy Willows are especially picked at Easter in England and Russia. People would tap each other on the shoulders with a branch of it for good luck.

Ø Lambs: The lamb is a symbol of Jesus as the Good Shepherd who watches over his human flock as though they were lambs. Lambs are typically born in the spring, making them even more symbolic. Israelites also used lamb's blood to save their firstborns in ancient Egypt.

Ø Rabbits are reminders of spring and new life and it is said they were the favorite animal of the spring goddess Eastre.

Ø The egg is a symbol of spring as well as Easter because they represent a sign of new life.

Ø Chicks are born from eggs and are also reminders of spring and Easter.

Ø Candles give light in darkness and Jesus is seen as "the eternal light" showing Christians the way from death to life.

Ø Palm Branches are used as a symbol of peace.

Ø Bread: Unleavened flat bread is eaten to remember Jesus' sacrifice and the freeing of Hebrews from Egyptian slavery.

Ø Wine red wine is drunk to remember Jesus shedding His blood for humans.

Ø Fireworks are believed to frighten away evil spirits. They also show that out of darkness comes light.