Best local food you can try during your Easter family holiday in Sicily

Easter is an amazing time to visit Sicily, especially if you are a foodie. As with all holidays food is a central part of it. If you are lucky enough to be on the island during this period (and luckier still to be staying at our of our fantastic villas) here are some tips to help you get the most out of seasonal delicacies.

Pastieri modicani

Walking around Modica in the south-east of the Island, look out for Pastieri. A mini-pie bursting with flavours, it is prepared for Easter and filled with lamb. Here are two restaurants that will have it on offer Rosticceria Antichi Sapori and Osteria delle 5 vie. 

‘Mpanata

If Pastieri is a tiny pie ‘mpanata is the grandaddy! There are lots of different versions, including lamb but also chicken and potatoes, broccoli and many more. The name betrays the area’s Spanish heritage as it derives from empanadas. After a walk in the beautiful city of Ragusa try this delicacy here.

Cassata modicana

You may have heard of Cassata Siciliana, the rich Sicilian pastry filled with ricotta, covered in candied fruit and wrapped in sugar glaze and almost pastry. In Easter there is a much simpler but (to my taste) much more interesting version. The cassata modica or cassatina skips all the trimmings and sticks to the basics. Pastry filled with sweet ricotta and just baked, dusted with cinnamon. A proof that less is very often so much more. 

Sweets for kids 

Finally, and especially for kids, look for “Pecorelle in pasta reale” (miniature lambs made of almond paste) and typical of the area of Ispica and Scicli are “Palummeddi cu l’ova” (eggs embedded in bread). Your children will love it! 

You can also find some delicious Easter cakes called “Colombe Pasquali” prepared by hand and usually filled with almonds and sugar, chocolate or pistachio cream. You absolutely must try those of Laboratorio del Sapore in Frigintini, they are experts of Colombe Pasquali, and much more!

Food experience

All the recipes  of the Sicilian traditions are usually prepared by the entire family on the Holy Saturday. If you want to experience the preparation of those delicacies with your children, try a cooking class at loveSicily Cooking School. If you need instead a weekend of total relax and you don’t want to miss a typical Sicilian Eastern lunch, you can also stay in one of our beautiful villas with pool while you will be spoiled by a food expert of local cuisine (contact us to check availability and price) that can prepare all these tasty dishes.