An Italian-Style Easter Picnic
Welcome back, friends. Despite the trick that pesky groundhog played on us, spring has finally arrived. What a mood changer! Now let’s get outside and celebrate. With a late-April Easter this year, we have the perfect opportunity for our first outdoor event, so with a nod to my Italian heritage, I think a Pasquetta is in order.
I’ll explain. Imagine Tuscan hills blooming with spring flowers, and picnickers casually dining on pretty tablecloths covering new green grass or white sandy beaches. You get the idea. That’s the way the Italians celebrate, with an Easter picnic of egg dishes, spring veggies and sweet bread shared with family and friends. We can do it, too. Sure, the blooms might be crocuses and daffodils rather than Tuscan poppies, but our island offers its own beautiful landscape as a backdrop for a perfectly lovely island Pasquetta.
So technically, Pasquetta means “little Easter,” which the Italians celebrate on Easter Monday, but we’ll take some liberties with the tradition and host our picnic Sunday or Monday, whichever works best for our guests and whichever the weather allows. Speaking of guests, there’s a saying in Italian, “Natale con i tuoi. Pasqua con chi vuoi.” It means “Christmas with your family. Easter with whomever you want,” so picnic with those whose company you enjoy most and those who will most enjoy a picnic.
Now for the plan. Choose a dry area on a lawn or the beach if our typical spring winds allow, and make it pretty. Of course, picnics can be pretty with just nature serving as décor, but we can assist nature a little, too. I like to choose one color as an inspiration and build from there. When I think of Easter, yellow always comes to mind. Bunches of daffodils and branches of forsythia should be easy to find. Use baskets to display them; after all, it is Easter. Low baskets filled with branches and blooms can adorn the picnic blanket. If you are picnicking at home in the yard, consider bringing a low coffee table outside, place it in the middle of your blanket, scatter some throw pillows for seats and casually lay flowers on the table. If you have little ones joining you, set up a kids’ table or picnic blanket. Kids will like having their own space, and the adults might actually enjoy some conversation time.
You’ll need supplies, so pack one large basket with plates, utensils, napkins, cups, serving utensils, a knife for slicing and a corkscrew. I like the bamboo plates and utensils, and they are the best option. If your crowd is small, consider using cloth napkins in a mix of spring colors. This really does elevate the event. Use them for the kids’ table, too. You can just throw them all back in a basket when you finish. If your group is large, you’ll need to go with good paper ones.
Now for the all-important food and drink. All food will be served at room temperature; it’s best for a picnic. Pack a basket with sliced pecorino cheese, prosciutto, bread, olives, strawberries and oranges. Place each in small bowls or on small plates and scatter around. All are finger foods, so guests can nibble on them as they arrive, and you’ll have time to unpack and organize the rest. You will need a cooler for transporting drinks. Water, herb-infused lemonade and wine should do it. Lavender-infused lemonade is one of my favorites, but choose one more, too – basil, mint, rosemary and thyme are all good choices. Tie a sprig of the herb to the pitcher for identification and to look pretty. It’s fun combining form and function. As far as wine for an afternoon picnic, go with a rosé. Rule of thumb is if you have eight adult guests and one type of wine, you’ll need five to six bottles. If you offer rosé and red, bring four bottles of each.
Caprese salad is a must. Making caprese skewers will work best for a picnic and be fun and manageable for the kids. Choose small grape or cherry tomatoes this time of year, the best extra virgin olive oil you can find and quality small mozzarella balls. The real caprese salad first served in Capri does not use vinegar. So just use tomatoes, basil and mozzarella drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with good sea salt – that’s it. Remember, the quality of the dish is dependent on quality ingredients, so splurge on this.
The main course, of course, is a traditional egg dish, the frittata. Taking advantage of one of the season’s first veggies, we’ll make an asparagus/cheese frittata. A cast-iron skillet is best for cooking this, and the good news is that you can make this the day before, refrigerate and serve at room temperature. You can slice into serving-size portions ahead of time, but the presentation is so pretty, consider having a suitable knife for slicing at the picnic.
It wouldn’t be a traditional Pasquetta without the Easter bread, Pane di Pasqua. It’s as pretty as it is delicious. The beautifully colored eggs and the lovely, slightly sweet golden loaf drizzled with icing makes a pretty picnic presentation. This does require some work, but the effort is totally worth it, and again, it can be done a day or two before, then wrapped up and ready to transport. I like making the individual breads for easy placement. Wait until you hear the compliments you’ll get when these are presented.
No Italian meal, indoors or out, ends without sweet biscotti. Store-bought from a good Italian bakery is totally acceptable. Buy both vanilla and chocolate, and keep it tucked in your basket until just before your outing ends with a traditional egg-roll game for the kids. You’ve packed some extra hard-boiled eggs, at least one for each of the kids, and here’s how it works:
Give each child a hard-boiled egg. The object is to get it from the starting line to the finish line. There are several ways to roll the egg. One version allows the kids to push them with spoons. They could also push their eggs with their feet or even their noses! The first egg to reach the finish line wins!
There you go, you’ve mastered the Pasquetta and celebrated the eagerly anticipated gifts of springtime with family and friends. Best of all, a whole new season of outdoor entertaining has begun.
Buona Pasqua! Caprese Salad Skewers
Ingredients:
• Grape or cherry tomatoes
• Small, fresh basil leaves (dried will not do in this recipe) or larger ones, torn
• Fresh mozzarella, a really good- quality brand
• Top-quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• Fine sea salt
• 6-inch skewers
Directions:
Begin skewering the ingredients in the following order: tomato-basil-mozzarella-basil-tomato-basil-mozzarella-basil-tomato. Prepare these an hour or two before serving and drizzle with oil and salt before serving.
Asparagus Cheese Frittata
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients:
• 1 dozen eggs
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• Pinch of sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• ¾ cup grated Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1¼ pound spicy Italian sausage meat, broken up
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1 bunch green onion whites and 1/3 of green tops, chopped
• 2½ cups fresh mozzarella, cut into half-inch cubes
• Cooking spray
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk the eggs together with ¼-cup heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste, and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, then set aside. Lightly roast the asparagus. Cut off the coarse tips and drizzle with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into 1½-inch pieces, and set aside. Heat a large skillet to medium high and sauté the sausage in olive oil until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain the sausage and set aside. Add the butter coating the sides of the skillet as it melts. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, add the garlic and green onions and sauté for two minutes. Add the parsley and basil, stirring well, then add eggs, stirring briefly. Add the asparagus, sausage and cubed cheese and stir to distribute ingredients evenly. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, watching that your eggs don’t burn. Allow the eggs to cook until the bottom and sides are set, but the middle is still runny, about 3-5 minutes. Place the frittata, still in the skillet, in a 400-degree oven and cook until completely set and the center is firm, 10-12 minutes. A butter knife inserted into the center should come out clean when done.
Recipe Notes:
A cast-iron skillet works best for this dish as it needs to transfer from the stove into the oven. A little cooking spray will help the frittata to come out clean, and the skillet must be hot before the eggs are added to ensure they don’t stick. After the frittata has cooled, slip out onto a plate, or place a plate over the top and invert to release it from the skillet.
Pane di Pasqua
Ingredients:
• 2 eggs (6 more, colored, but still raw; DO NOT USE HARDBOILED EGGS)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup milk
• 3 cups good quality all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1½ teaspoons bread machine dry yeast
For glaze:
• ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
• About 2 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions:
FOR STAND MIXER DIRECTIONS, SEE BELOW.
Heat milk and butter gently, in a small saucepan, just until butter melts. Remove from heat and place in bread machine pan. Beat eggs, just to break yolks, then add to milk and butter in pan, then add the dry ingredients: flour, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yeast. Set machine for “dough” and press “start.” Dough should be very soft and pliable but not sticky. If it is very wet or very sticky, add a little flour and let it knead again. Let rise until doubled.
IF USING A STAND MIXER: Place lukewarm milk in a jug and sprinkle the yeast on top with a pinch of sugar, and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the rest of the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Melt the butter (but make sure it’s not hot when you add it to the bowl or it can kill the yeast), and slightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Pour the milk and yeast mixture, melted butter and beaten eggs into the well in the flour. Using the dough hook, start the machine slowly, until a dough begins to form, then increase the speed a little and allow to knead for about 10 minutes. Dough should be smooth, and a bit firm. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled. These directions can also be followed if you want to make these by hand.
WHETHER USING THE BREAD MACHINE OR STAND MIXER, CONTINUE HERE...
Put the dough onto a lightly floured mat or counter and knead gently, then cut into six equal pieces. Cut each of the six pieces in half and roll out to about 9 inches long. It doesn’t have to look pretty at this point. Pinch one end together. Now twist the two ropes together. Again, it won’t look very pretty, but it’s OK; pinch the other end together. Next, join the ends to each other to form a ring, twisting as necessary to keep the ropes from undoing themselves. Place a colored egg into the center of the ring. If you’d like to make ONE large Italian Easter bread ring, do so by using all of the dough to make one large twisted ring. Afterwards, place the five eggs nestled evenly into the dough. Place the ring on a parchment-lined baking tray and continue with the rest of the dough and eggs. Once you have made all six, place them in a slightly warm oven to rise for about an hour. After they have risen, remove from the oven and turn the heat to 350°F. When oven is at the correct temperature, bake the rings for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown, turning the tray midway through baking if necessary, for even browning. Remove from tray and place the Italian Easter bread rings on a cooling rack. When rings are cool, mix together confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and milk to make a slightly runny glaze. Glaze rings, adjusting with more sugar or milk for correct consistency. The glaze should slowly drip down the side of the ring. Sprinkle with colored sprinkles if desired, and allow glaze to harden/dry before serving.
Herb-Infused Lemonade
Ingredients:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• Herbs (a few sprigs of basil, mint, rosemary or thyme all work well)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
• Water to taste (about 3-4 cups)
Instructions:
Combine sugar, water and herbs in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the syrup from heat and let it sit for while – the longer you let it sit, the more the flavor of the herbs will infuse into the syrup. Pour syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add water to taste and stir. Garnish with sprigs of herbs or fresh fruit.
