Traditional Easter Food From Around the World

Easter is a time of coming together. Whether you celebrate this holiday by spending quality time with your loved ones, Easter is undoubtedly a time for delicious dishes and sweet treats. With so many special foods eaten to mark this celebration across the world, let’s take a look at what they are and where they are enjoyed.

In South Africa we have a wonderful mix of traditions and cultures. Traditionally at this time of year we enjoy coming together to enjoy a roast lamb, some pickled fish or even whipping out the braai to add our own local flair. Added to these dishes is a true Easter treat…the hot cross bun! But where did this originate from?

Yeast dough buns filled with currants and raisins were once eaten year round in pagan times. The bun represented the moon and was split into four quarters to represent the four seasons. Christians then took over this tradition and changed the meaning of the cross to represent the cross Jesus died on. These buns are now enjoyed throughout the year by anyone, however, they will always hold a special meaning at Easter.

Looking further into Africa, in Ethiopia they celebrate with an Easter breakfast consisting of ‘dabo’ which is sour-dough bread. In the afternoon they eat their main meal, which usually consists of a pancake called ‘injera’ and is eaten with a mutton or lamb stew. The tradition of eating lamb is a popular one. On Easter morning in Greece, a soup made of lamb’s stomach is sometimes eaten with the rest of the lamb being roasted for their main meal at lunchtime.

Easter wouldn’t be Easter without some sweet treats and so the Greeks also enjoy a cake made with oranges and almonds covered in a spicy orange sauce. In the UK they eat Simnel cake, which is a rich fruit cake covered with a layer of marzipan – it is traditionally eaten on the middle Sunday in Lent.

Looking to Italy, they tend towards more savoury treats with salty pretzels being the order of the day. In Russia they also enjoy savoury dishes with ‘Blini’s’ which are little pancakes with anchovies and a mixture of cream, sour cream, dried fruit and orange peel called ‘Paska’.

And of course we cannot forget the main food enjoyed at this time of year, eggs! Whether boiled, fried, scrambled or made of chocolate, eggs symbolize new life and represent Easter across the world.

Here at Spekko we love all the delicious Easter foods and hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful Easter weekend. We plan on enjoying a delicious grilled lamb followed by our famous ricotta tart with berries. Follow the recipes below and join us.

Happy Easter!