Discover Portugal’s traditions with us. Today: Easter foods!
Easter is a holiday with different traditions across the world. Being a country with strong Catholic ties, Portugal has its own way of celebrating it. And, as we are talking about the Portuguese people, it goes without saying that gastronomy has a big role in this celebration!
Today we share our Top 5 Portuguese foods related to the Easter holiday – check it and run to the kitchen, there is still time to cook some of them!
The traditional meat eaten in Easter in Portugal is lamb, oven roasted or in a stew. Also in the Porto area it is common to eat beef loin; in the Beira Litoral region, people use to cook roasted suckling pig. In other words, it is a paradise for omnivores!
Folar (a kind of sweet bread) is another great tradition all around the country. Its recipe has numerous variations and can be either sweet or savory. At Trás-os-Montes, for example, the popular version of Folar is filled with different types of meat (rabbit, chicken, pig, ham…); In the Beiras area, folar is made with cinnamon and fennel, with a boiled egg on its interior.
Now heading to desserts! Of course, the most popular all over the world is chocolate, being in the form of an egg or just regular chocolate. Portugal is no exception and everyone eat lots of chocolates on this holiday!
Almonds are another sweet tradition in Portugal. Covered with chocolate or with a sugary and colorful coat, they remind the shape of eggs – a common symbol of Easter, symbolizing new beginnings – and the traditions say that they have to be offered as a gift! Another version are the traditional handmade coated with sugar almonds, with their charming irregular shape!
And another dessert popular in the Minho region is pão-de-ló, a cake made only with eggs, flour, and sugar. According to the tradition, you cannot cut pão-de-ló with a knife – you must use your hand to grab your piece!
We hope you have enjoyed this post and give these recipes a try! We guarantee you won’t regret it. And to learn more about Portuguese gastronomy and Porto’s traditions, book a Food Tour with Wine Tasting with us!
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