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The Easter cake (Torta Pasqualina) is a classic of the Italian culinary tradition, a savory cake that delights the palate during Easter time. Starting off from Liguria and then spreading throughout the Bel Paese, the Easter cake is a preparation that you cannot and do not want to give up to, a must among the starters on the Easter menu or in the picnic basket on Easter Monday.
A unique delicacy of its kind, which also has ancient origins; in fact, the Genoese Easter cake seems to date back to 1400, when, according to tradition, women rolled out 33 thin sheets of dough which were assembled on top of each other before adding the filling and creating the Easter cake. Fun fact: yes, 33 sheets as well as the years of Christ!
The preparation of the Easter cake is that of a rustic cake, full of flavour, which is made with a flaky base, similar to shortcrust pastry, prepared with flour, water and extra virgin olive oil. The Pasqualina Easter pastry is filled with a cream of spinach or chard, ricotta, cheese and because it is just impossible not to mention them since it’s Easter, whole eggs. They are the real stars of the Easter cake as they are added to the filling while still raw precisely because, once the Easter cake is cooked in the oven, they will become firm, thus remaining perfectly visible when cut. A real surprise, as beautiful as it is good!
But we are talking about Italian cuisine and, as with any traditional recipe, there are different regional versions of Easter cakes such as, for example, the one from Ventimiglia which involves the use of wild herbs instead of spinach or the modern version such as the Easter cake with artichokes.
Today, however, we want to focus on the origial recipe for the Easter cake, a simple preparation that does not require great culinary skills. Let’s see it together!
Ingredients for the base:
• 400g 00 flour
• 150ml cold water
• 150ml Bonamini Santa Giustina extra virgin olive oil
• a spoonful of salt
Ingredients for the filling:
• 800g of spinach (or chard)
• 250g of cow’s milk ricotta
• 4 eggs
• 100g of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste.
The dough for the Easter cake is prepared in a few minutes and the sheets of dough are simply rolled out with a long rolling pin. Simply mix the cold water with the Santa Giustina extra virgin olive oil and salt in a bowl, creating an emulsion to which you will slowly add the flour, continuing to mix. Once you have obtained a homogeneous dough, turn it onto a pastry board and work it until you obtain a smooth and compact ball. The dough for the Easter cake must rest for half an hour in the fridge.
In the meantime, proceed with the preparation of the filling and cook the chosen herbs in a pan with the addition of a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or alternatively a drop of Bonamini garlic flavored oil; once cooked and after letting them cool, squeeze them to remove excess water and chop them with a knife. Add the ricotta, an egg, the grated cheese and the chosen spices to the mixture, mixing with a spoon.
Once you have created the filling for the Pasqualina Easter cake, proceed with dividing the dough, which has rested in the refrigerator, into 4 parts and by using a rolling pin proceed to roll them out into thin sheets of dough. Then transfer the first sheet into a high-sided cake pan, previously covered with baking paper, grease the entire surface with San Felice Bonamini extra virgin olive oil and proceed with placing the second sheet.
Distribute the Easter cake filling across the entire width of the Easter cake and make three hollows, taking care to break the 3 eggs remaining inside them. Then finish by covering everything with the other two remaining puff pastry sheets, always remembering to grease them with extra virgin olive oil. Seal the edges with a fork and prick the surface so as to let the steam escape during cooking. The Easter cake should be cooked in a preheated oven at 180°C/356 °F for about 40 minutes.
Pasqualina Easter cake, together with other traditional recipes, will always find a place at Italian Easter tables as well as at Easter Monday picnics, as it can be prepared in advance and it can be kept well covered in the fridge for 3 days – according to us foodies!
