Italian Easter
/Easter (Pasqua) in Italy is not only a religious holiday, it also marks the end of Winter and the time of year when Italians celebrate the beginning of Spring. There are several prominent dishes served at this time of year including Colomba, an Easter version of Pannettone. Eggs symbolize rebirth, so Italians make a variety of cakes and pastries with eggs (sometimes cooked whole inside the cake), and serve boiled eggs and salame for lunch. Chocolate Easter eggs are given as gifts.
Nothing is more ubiquitous on the Italian Easter table than lamb. Sheep are raised throughout the Central and Southern regions, and on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, producing a variety of meats. Their milk is used to make a wide variety of cheeses, the most well-known being Pecorino. Sheep are raised in the mountains, grazing in the hills in the summers and moving to the lower elevations during the winter, as they are in much of the Western U.S.
The cut of lamb used is determined by the family budget. Most of the recipes I have seen call for lamb shoulder, which is roasted whole, or which is cut into pieces and slow-cooked for ragù. Rack or leg of lamb would be considered a splurge.
Roasted Rack of Colorado Lamb
Regional specialties vary for Easter preparations. In Emilia Romagna the shoulder is roasted with rosemary, garlic and white wine. In Rome and Lazio, they prepare abbacchio, which is a pan-roasted shoulder with sage, garlic, rosemary and anchovies. Another popular Roman dish is abbacchio con scotaditto (lamb ribs), which utilizes the famous Roman artichokes now in season.
To the east of Rome, in the mountainous regions of Abruzzo and Molise, sheep are predominate and lamb is typical at this time of year. Agnello cacio e uova, lamb with cacio (a semi-soft cheese) and eggs, unites two of the most symbolic ingredients of Easter. The sheep graze on high mountain grasses and flowers and are considered among the most flavorful in Italy. One of the staples of Abruzzo is ragù, slow cooked with mountain herbs (sometimes saffron), vegetables and maybe a bit of guanciale.
EASTER MEAL KIT - Dinner for 2 - Only $37
1st Course: M’tucci’s Spicy Tucumcari Feta Dip w/ Marinated Cucumber and Red Bell Pepper
2nd Course: Lamb Ragù - Lamb, Guanciale, Pancetta, Carrots, Onions, Celery, San Marzano Tomatoes over M’tucci’s Rigatoni
3rd Course: Strawberry Parfait - Lemon Lavender Sponge Cake, Vanilla Chantilly Cream & Macerated Strawberries
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $32
Pan-Seared California Halibut - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $23
Pasta: Beef & Goat Cheese Ravioli with Pan-Seared Shrimp, House Bacon, Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions in a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce $23
Cocktail: Kentucky Gold: Old Forester 86, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Pimento
Sunday Only: Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18
M’tucci’s Moderno
12 oz. Angus NY Strip: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $27
Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $25
Lobster & Shrimp Pasta - Shrimp, Lobster, Grape Tomatoes in a Lobster Cream Sauce & Spaghettini $29
Cocktail: Beach Glass: Muddled Strawberry, Amaro Lucano, Orange Juice, Lime Juice, Prichard’s Crystal Rum Goslings Float
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
12oz. Harris Ranch NY Strip - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $24
6 oz. Pan-Seared Amberjack - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $22
Honey Chicken Truffle Pasta - Lightly Breaded Chicken with Root Veggies, Snap Peas, Fresh Herbs in a Butter Mascarpone Sauce topped with Honey Truffle Oil over House Made Fettuccine $17
Cocktail: Golden Corduroy: Whiskey Jane Rye, Cardamaro, Roasted Lemon-Honey Simple Syrup, Grapefruit Bitters and a pinch of Salt.
Gelato: Whiskey Malted Milk Stracchiatella
Sorbetto: Lemon & Lime
Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!
