People across the globe celebrate Easter in different ways as they have their own cultures as well. One way that we can see the variety of Easter celebrations is through the food.
People from these countries have their own special food to eat when celebrating Easter. Check out the traditional Easter cuisines around the world!
1. Russia
Russia has a lot of variety when it comes to traditional Easter dishes. One of the most popular ones is Pashka.
Pashka is known as a traditional food made from tvorog or cheese curds. This dish has a cheesecake-like consistency and comes in cooked and uncooked form.
Pashka has a similar taste to a rich custard and is commonly made by pressing it into a mold in the pyramid form and usually white.
Russians then will decorate Pashka with the letter “XB” which stands for Khristos Voskres, which translates to “Christ is Risen”. This dish symbolizes the purity of Christ.
Pashka is commonly known as a part of the Easter basket of treats spread on a narrow tower of bread called Kulich. Kulich is a traditional loaf that has a domed top covered with frosting and decorated with flowers and sprinkles.
Russia also has the more filling savory option among its Easter dishes, which is called Kurnik. Kurnik is a pie filled with chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and a thick mushroom sauce.
2. Greece
Food plays a big role in Easter celebrations in Greece and it takes on many symbolic qualities. Greeks usually begin their celebration during the Holy Week with Tsoureki and red eggs.
Tsoureki is a bread made by braiding the individual strands of dough together. It has mastic and mahlab, which are traditional Greek spices, and sometimes also contains a hint of cardamom.
A certain kneading technique is necessary for making Tsoureki, which results in moist, stretchy, and chewy bread.
On Holy Thursday, families in Greece will boil and dye eggs a deep red, symbolizing the blood of Christ. These red eggs are usually used to accompany the sweet Tsoureki and also used in the cracking game which the Greeks call Tsougrisma.
Another dish that can’t be missed on Easter celebration in Greece is a delicacy called Koulourakia.
Koulourakia is buttery Easter biscuits famous for their twisted shape and fluffy, airy texture. It has the flavor of vanilla and sesame seed outer shell.
3. Austria
A roast ham is a must when it comes to Easter dinner in Austria. There is a lot of cooking method to make this dish and the most popular roast ham dish is osterschinken im brotteig, which is a cooked ham baked into bread dough.
Sometimes people in Austria also stew the ham with sauerkraut which added a tangy flavor to the meat.
There is also a traditional sweet dish for Easter in Austria called Reindling. This dish is a dense pound cake originated in Carinthia.
Reindling is usually baked with cocoa powder, cinnamon, or even rum. This dish is typically sweet but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Sometimes, Reindling is served with ham, spiced smoked sausages, and hard-boiled eggs.
4. Italy
In Italy, Easter is celebrated with colomba di pasqua which means Easter Dove. This dish is similar to the hot cross buns that can be found in the UK.
During Easter, Italian bakeries will pack their shelves with this traditional cake. Before baking, colomba di pasqua is shaped into a dove that symbolizes the bird that flew back to Noah with an olive branch in its beak.
Colomba di pasqua is traditionally flavored with candied peel and topped with sugar and almonds. But nowadays, we can see a lot of variations to this cake, which comes with chocolate chips and fudge.
Want something savory? Worry not, because Italy also has pizza chena. This Easter dish is a buttery, flaky pie filled with cheese, eggs, and Italian meat.
5. Spain
Easter in Spain is filled with sweets and bread during the Semana Santa or the Holy Week. One of the most popular dishes enjoyed all over the country is Torrijas, which is similar to French Toast, traditionally served on Easter Monday in Catalonia.
Torrijas are made from sliced stale bread, soaked in a mixture of milk, sugar, and spices overnight, and then dipped in egg before it is fried in olive oil.
Some people also soak the bread in wine, honey, or syrup. One thing in common is that all torrijas are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar mix after frying.
Spain also has mona de pascua cake, which is originated from Catalunya. This cake is traditionally given from godparents to their godchildren.
This cake has a similar shape to a bread basket or large doughnut, typically topped with colored eggs, feathers, and figurines.
At the Semana Santa festival, we can also enjoy rosquillas. Rosquillas is similar to doughnuts, only denser and has more like a cake texture because they are made with no yeast.
Rosquillas usually dunked in various flavored icings, dipped in cinnamon sugar, or eaten plain. We can find these on many food carts at the festival.