Easter
Easter is the annual party celebrated by the Jews in memory of the exit from Egypt . The religion prescribes that for a week from the 14th to 21st of the month of Nissan (beginning of Spring) the followers should refrain from any fermented food (alcohol, cereals, dry vegetables, etc.); on Easter day, the meal includes roasted lamb immolated according to the Jewish uses.
This party is also celebrated by the Christian religion, that on that day celebrates Jesus Christ's Resurrection. Easter day on the first Sunday after the first moon that follows to the equinox of the Spring, relapses between the 22nd of March and the 22nd of April. It is the time of the full renewal of Nature and as Easter it happens naturally to the abstinence of the Lent. Numerous culinary traditions mark that party.
On the whole side, hard eggs, natural or coloured are typical. The habit of offering coloured eggs or decorations starts in Portugal , in the XVth century . The Easter omelette done with eggs «Requests» or put on Holy Friday, is garnished with bacon or similar to well mark the end of this period.
Traditionally, on Easter Sunday, we have a meat plate: generally a kind of goat or lamb, but a lot of times also Pig (roasted pig or ham). In some areas they include in the Easter menu a stuffed pie of several meats and eggs. The bread that was eaten on Easter Sunday was whiter than the homemade bread and a goody was considered.
The desserts of Easter time show an entire variety of special sweets; the form of baskets with painted eggs of several colours, crowns with eggs, brioches and pies but above all the chocolate eggs and the almonds are the most representative.