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Ciao cari amici!
We'd like to wish everyone Happy Easter - Buona Pasqua and a blessed Passover!
In Italy, Pasqua is celebrated with a big lunch after Easter Mass. Easter Monday, Pasquetta, is a holiday and lots of people celebrate outdoors with picnics or a cookout. They don’t do Easter baskets full of candy or hunt for colored eggs like we do, but they do give huge chocolate eggs that are hollow and filled with a toy!
For us the perfect Easter dinner is roasted or grilled lamb with an array of spring vegetables. Artichokes, asparagus and peas are all coming into season and are great side dishes. If you can get young artichokes at your Italian market (or if you live in California!), sauté them in olive oil and lemon juice. You can sometimes find frozen artichoke hearts as well. Those are great tossed with lemon, olive oil, chopped parsley and salt and roasted in the oven. Roasted asparagus is super simple. Place the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast them dry at 400 degrees until they’re bright green, then dress them with olive oil and flake salt. Peas need butter. That’s all we’re saying!
A delicious spring salad perfect for Easter combines young lettuce leaves, blanched peas, sliced fennel, mint and dill. Toss it with a simple lemon vinaigrette and enjoy. Simple and delicious!
Whatever you do for the holiday, we wish you peace and a Blessed Easter and Passover.
Buon appetito!
Gina and Mary
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