Recipes

The perfect Easter menu? We'll take care of it.

Easter is approaching, and it's time to start thinking about what to prepare for lunch. For this festive day, you can choose a vegetarian menu, featuring many recipes that embrace the true meaning of Easter, a day symbolizing rebirth. A holiday with ancient roots, Passover originally commemorated the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery. Later, with the advent of Christianity, it took on an even deeper meaning, becoming a celebration celebrating rebirth into a new life. Dedicated to those who want to avoid meat and fish at Easter, but without sacrificing authentic flavors, color, freshness, and deliciousness. And you don't have to be vegetarian or vegan for a menu like this: I assure you, if you prepare one of these two menus for your guests, they won't even notice they haven't eaten any animal products. Our vegetarian Easter menu This Easter, we're helping you restore the value of food, respecting those who produce it, in harmony with the environment and ecosystems, and drawing on the knowledge preserved by local territories and traditions. We're going beyond the recipe, because eating is much more than nourishment, and behind food lie producers, territories, emotions, and pleasure. Here are our suggestions: APPETIZERS Bread and arugula meatballs are a quick and easy way to reuse stale bread and delight both adults and children. They can be prepared ahead of time. Ingredients 250g of stale bread 1 bunch of rocket (116 gr) 1 clove of garlic 2 tablespoons of Olio Lucano PGI - Pitted Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2020/2021 Frantoio F.lli Pace salt to taste Procedure Place the bread in a bowl filled with water and wait for it to absorb the water, then squeeze it and crumble it into a large bowl. Remove any roots and wash the arugula thoroughly by soaking it in water and baking soda, then rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a clean cloth. Peel and finely chop the garlic, finely chop the arugula and add it to the bowl containing the crumbled bread. Add the oil and garlic and knead until everything is combined. Now line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With damp hands, take a little dough and shape it into meatballs. Arrange them neatly on the baking sheet, taking care to leave a little space between them. Continue in this way until the mixture is used up. Drizzle the surface of the meatballs with additional oil and bake in a hot oven on grill mode for about thirty minutes or until completely golden. Once cooked, remove from the oven immediately. The bread and rocket meatballs can be served either warm or at room temperature. FIRST COURSE Lasagna, a traditional Italian dish, can also be prepared in a vegetarian version. Lighter than traditional lasagna, vegetarian lasagna is a delicious first course that everyone will enjoy. With layers of colorful vegetables and béchamel sauce, alternating with pasta, vegetable lasagna is a fun and appetizing dish. Easy to prepare, vegetarian lasagna comes in many colorful variations, reflecting the seasons and the vegetables nature offers. A wholesome and hearty first course, vegetarian lasagna can be prepared ahead of time and enjoyed in generous portions at the perfect time. Ingredients (4 people): 250g egg lasagna 250 g of béchamel sauce 300 g of fresh ricotta or mozzarella 300/400g of fresh or frozen spinach 50 g of parmesan cheese Pace Pitted EVO Oil Salt and pepper to taste Nutmeg to taste Procedure: If using fresh spinach: Clean and wash the spinach, then boil it in a little salted water for about 10 minutes and drain. If using frozen spinach: Thaw the spinach (in the microwave for 2 minutes maximum) and preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the spinach with a little oil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from the heat and stir in the ricotta and a third of the Parmesan. Grease a baking dish with the remaining butter and arrange a first layer of pasta, then the ricotta/spinach and the béchamel sauce, until all the ingredients are used up. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake for 25 minutes. Second course Breaded fennel cutlets are a delicious and delicious way to prepare this wonderful vegetable. The crispy breading encases the tender fennel, making them irresistible. Served with a light sauce and a lovely mixed salad, they make a perfect main course. Ingredients 2 fennel bulbs 80 g of wholemeal flour 130 ml of water 100 g breadcrumbs Salt and pepper Delicate Peace Olive Oil Procedure Wash the fennel and cut it into ½-cm thick slices. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and blanch the fennel slices for a couple of minutes. Drain them and let them dry and cool in a colander. Prepare the batter for coating the fennel by combining the whole wheat flour with water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything well with a whisk until the batter is smooth and fairly runny. Coat the breadcrumbs and fry. Heat enough oil to deep-fry the fennel in a high-sided pan. Dip the fennel slices first in the batter, then in the breadcrumbs, and place them on a plate. Once the oil is hot, fry a few cutlets at a time for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove them with a frying pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Serve piping hot so they are still crunchy. SWEET Vegan orange cake is a soft, traditional Sicilian dessert made with a whole orange, pulp, and zest blended together. The result is a fresh, fragrant cake, perfect for breakfast or a delicious snack. Ingredients 300 g of flour 2 20 g of corn starch 160 g of raw cane sugar 1 sachet of cream of tartar yeast - 16 g - 360 g of soy or almond milk 100 g of Pace Pitted Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 medium organic orange (about 170 g) Procedure Wash the orange thoroughly and dice it, including the peel. Transfer the orange to a blender and blend it with the soy milk and oil until smooth. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, and baking powder in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Then add the liquid mixture and mix well until smooth. Bake. Pour the batter into a baking pan lined with parchment paper or lightly greased with parchment paper and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 40-45 minutes. Once baked, let the orange cake cool completely and serve sliced. Did you like our menu? Try it and let us know! May it be an Easter of Rebirth for all of you. Happy Easter from all of us at Frantoio Pace!