Traditional Tuscan Easter sweets

Easter in Tuscany, as in the rest of Italy, is a very heartfelt celebration. Events, manifestations and historical re-enactments are held throughout the region. But the most authentic traditions of this festivity can be found in the kitchen and especially in the typical sweets. Besides the classic chocolate eggs and doves, there are countless Easter sweets in Tuscany.

What are the traditional Tuscan Easter sweets? Here are six delicacies that are sure to make your mouth water.

The sportella

On the Island of Elba, and in particular in Rio nell’Elba, one of the island’s oldest villages, people make the sportella, a doughnut-shaped biscuit with the ends overlapping, decorated with coloured sugars. Historically, during the Easter period it was given by girls to their sweethearts to declare their interest. Its shape recalls that of female genitalia. Today, this custom has disappeared, but the tradition of preparing the cake has remained. A festival is also dedicated to the ‘sportella’, held on Easter Monday in front of the ancient Hermitage of Santa Caterina, near Elba’s Orto dei Semplici.

The ceremito

Also in Rio nell’Elba, in the same context as the sportella, is the ceremito, an elongated and twisted cake whose main ingredients are flour and eggs. According to tradition, it was given by the young men of the village to the girls they were in love with on Palm Sunday morning. If the girl liked the interest, she would reciprocate by giving the young man a wrapped and blessed flap for Easter. Its shape recalls that of male genitalia while its name derives from Ceres, the goddess of the earth and fertility. Its recipe, like that of the sportella, is included in the Tuscan list of traditional food products.

The pasimata

In Garfagnana, and in the Lucca area in general, the pasimata, a cake of humble and ancient origins, cannot be absent from the tables. It is a soft leavened cake, apparently similar to a panettone, with a long and laborious preparation that, depending on the quantity of dough, can take even more than a day. It is made with simple ingredients such as flour, eggs and dried grapes, but has a delicious flavour due to the long leavening time. In ancient times, it was prepared on Easter Eve and then brought to be blessed, together with the eggs, at Sunday mass. We recommend you try it with a glass of vin santo.

The quaresimali

Among the many typical recipes of this period, we also highlight the Lenten biscuits, delicious biscuits in the shape of letters of the alphabet. They are prepared during Lent with egg whites, flour, sugar and cocoa. They are widespread throughout Tuscany but especially in the Florentine area and in the Sienese Chianti. Legend has it that these biscuits were invented in the second half of the 19th century by some nuns from a convent between Florence and Prato, to whom they gave the shape of letters to remember the words of the Gospel. The recipe itself could confirm this hypothesis: they do not contain butter because animal fats were prohibited during Lent.

The Livorno Schiacciata

Another delicious preparation of the Easter tradition in Tuscany is the Livorno Schiacciata, a leavened dessert (similar to panettone) made with flour, eggs, sugar and anise seeds. It is mainly prepared in the provinces of Pisa and Livorno but is also widespread in the rest of the region. The recipe requires laborious preparation and long natural leavening, which allows it to become soft and light. It’s also good cold, perhaps filled with homemade jam. The ideal is to accompany it with a nice glass of vin santo.

The Sienese corolli

We conclude this roundup of traditional Tuscan Easter desserts with the Sienese corolli, donut-shaped desserts whose dough closely resembles that of the Livorno Schiacciata. Once upon a time they were prepared especially for children: in fact they could be eaten already on Holy Saturday while for the schiacciata you had to wait until Easter day. As the name suggests, they are typical of Siena and the main ingredient is anise seeds, which gives the characteristic flavour.

Photo gallery | pasimata © Garfagnana Dream | quaresimali © PisaToday | Livorno schiacciata © Visit Tuscany