Traditional Easter meals and dishes in Portugal

Braided Easter Bread, Braided Easter Bread, ©whatkatiesbaking. com/Flickr

Portugal also has its own customs and traditions for Easter time. The Portuguese can prepare delicious meals for this occasion. They celebrate together with family and friends sharing an absolutely lovely meal and having a delightful time. Around the Easter holiday every household has its own traditional treats and baked goods and not only. After a long period of lent everyone unchains their appetite and culinary talents in order to create a fantastic traditional Portuguese Easter menu. Naturally the colored Easter eggs cannot be absent from the table, but you will find different kind of meats prepared in varied forms such as lamb, goat and pig meat. Also do not forget about dessert!

Portuguese Easter Pie

The tarte de Pascoa also known as the Easter pie is a Portuguese version of spinach and cheese pie. It is savory pie which is very simple to prepare and finely completes the Portuguese Easter menu. It is a pie made of layers of hard boiled eggs, feta cheese and spinach with phyllo pastry on the top.

Easter spinach pie, ©avlxyz/Flickr

Prepared meats

Usually for an Easter Sunday meal the Portuguese prepare various kinds of meat such as roasted pig, prepared kid goat, ham or lamb chops. In some regions you fill find on the table different kinds of pies stuffed with eggs and meat. Meats are usually served with rice, potatoes or chickpeas.

Folar – Easter Bread

The folar is also a traditionally Portuguese food which is basically bread that contains boiled eggs.

Folar, ©somewhereintheworldtoday/Flickr

Eggs symbolize rebirth in some places and thus it is a suitable ingredient for meals at a celebration which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Different regions vary it by including cinnamon, almonds or lemon zest in the recipe.

Sweets and desserts

The wide range of Easter sweets and deserts in Portugal includes pies, basket formed cakes, brioches, chocolate eggs and many others. The paasbroo, or so called sweet Easter bread is among the most popular Easter treats.

Braided Easter Bread, Braided Easter Bread, ©whatkatiesbaking. com

It is a tasty homemade dessert with almond paste in the middle and sprinkled with currants or plump raisins and ornamented with icing. In case you pass by during Easter time you might want to try the vanilla and lemon tart, the famous Island of Madeira or the Portuguese Chocolate Salami. Be careful with that sweet tooth though!