If you plan to feature any Easter specials this spring, explore a few dishes from around the world to add some eggstra flair to your menus. The best part — many of these recipes can vary as far as the ingredients included, so you can make each one uniquely yours.
Torta Pasqualina and Torta Pascualina
Originally a dish found in Italy, Torta Pasqualina is like a savory pie that has inspired other variations of this traditional Easter meal around the world. In Argentina and Uruguay, you can find it called Torta Pascualina. Both variations typically include a pastry crust, spinach, ricotta, and hard-boiled eggs.
Some recipes may feature onions, mushrooms, and different types of cheeses. Spice it up and try your own take with ingredients that fit your brand, but consider mixing in West Creek® Processed Eggs. Processed egg products offer a quick, convenient, and safe way to bring delicious and satisfying Easter breakfast entrées to the table. Made from real eggs, the flavor is identical to shell eggs, but with the added benefits of packaging convenience and an extended shelf life.
Fanesca Easter Soup
Looking for more of a starter or side instead of a main course? Ecuador boasts a stew that generally includes beans, squash, vegetables, rice, and milk (with some different additions depending on the recipe). The fun twist is in the topping, though. Create the base of the soup, and then add your favorite ingredients. Some applicable toppings include avocados, fried plantains, peppers, and you guessed it — hard-boiled eggs.
White Borscht Soup
Another type of soup to test out in the kitchen is traditional in Eastern Europe. The ingredients usually include potatoes, sour cream, sausage, and eggs. How about a reverse bread bowl? Yes, please! Sourdough bread is a fun ingredient for this dish. It’s not just for dipping either, the bread is cooked right in. Salt, pepper, garlic, and parsley can be added and original spice blends can help make this dish unique to your particular concept. The final eggcellent trick is to serve the base of the soup over diced sausage and hard-boiled eggs.
Mona de Pascua
If you venture over to Spain, this fun take on a sweet bread with an egg decoration could be a crowd-pleaser. Traditionally, the decor on the top is an unopened hard-boiled egg, but more recent variations of this dessert may include a chocolate egg topping.
For the base of this bread (or cake), there are many different recipes you can use. Some include yeast and a bit more time, but other alternatives make a quicker cake with the usual sugar, eggs, and flour. A common ingredient throughout is an orange or lemon zest for special citrusy flavor.
Pizza Chiena
Similar to Torta Pasqualina, Pizza Chiena is also a special pie but with meat, cheese, and eggs, and it’s a little heartier than spinach and ricotta. The process can look similar to lasagna, but instead of pasta, use the cured meats and cheeses of your choice.
Make a crust for the bottom and top, then add layers of a ricotta and egg mixture, meat, and cheese — repeat until you get to the top and cover with the second crust. If you want the pie a little less layered, mix all the contents together and add it on top of the crust.
Many recipes also use eggs in their desserts, so just because you don’t see or taste the eggs doesn’t mean you can’t use them. Rosquillas, hot cross buns, and pashka are other adaptable specials to help round out your menu. No matter what type of Easter cuisine you are considering cooking up, eggs are a cost-effective way to add popular elements — helping you hatch more sales.
