Easter is a cherished Christian holiday that brings families together in celebration. Beyond the joy of colorful eggs, it’s a time for sharing delicious traditional dishes that fill the home with warmth, memories, and connection.
Cherishing and preserving culinary traditions is essential, especially during holidays. Allow yourself to enjoy time-honored meals—just be mindful of portions, especially when it comes to eggs. Easter is celebrated over several days, so there’s plenty of food and time to savor every bite.
Lamb Soup
- 1 lamb head and lower leg bones
- 1 bunch soup vegetables (carrot, parsley root, etc.)
- 3.5 oz celery root
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 stalks green onion
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp rice
- 3/4 cup sour cream or clotted cream
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp oil
- Fresh parsley leaves
- Salt, black pepper, all-purpose seasoning, paprika
Clean the lamb head and legs thoroughly. Chop vegetables and lightly char the onion over the stovetop. Add meat, veggies, charred onion, peppercorns, and bay leaf to a large pot. Fill with water and bring to a boil. Skim the foam, lower the heat, and simmer for about 2 hours. Once the meat starts falling off the bone, strain the soup. Remove meat, debone, and finely chop it. In a pan, make a roux with oil and flour until bubbly, then quickly stir in paprika and remove from heat. Return soup to the pot, add green onions and rice, and cook until rice is tender. Season to taste. Serve with the cooked vegetables at the bottom of the bowl, ladle soup over them, and top with sour cream or kaymak and parsley.
Spring Salad with Green Onion and Radishes
- 1 head butter lettuce
- 4 stalks green onion
- 1 stalk young garlic
- 1 bunch radishes
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Wash and dry the lettuce. Tear into pieces by hand. Slice green onion and radishes, mix all in a bowl. Add salt, lemon juice, and oil right before serving.
Lamb Offal Casserole
- Lamb liver, lung, and heart (about 1 lb total)
- Lamb caul fat
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 stalks green onion
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 3/4 cup oil
- Salt, pepper, paprika, all-purpose seasoning
- Sheep’s milk yogurt
Soak offal in cold water with a splash of vinegar for 15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Chop into large pieces and sauté in oil until cooked, then finely chop or grind. Sauté yellow onion until translucent, then add offal, season, and finish with chopped green onions. In a baking dish, spread the mixture and pour over half of the beaten eggs and milk mixture. Cover with caul fat, poke a few holes with a fork, and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Pour remaining egg-milk mix over and bake another 30 minutes. Serve with sheep’s milk yogurt. You can also wrap portions in caul fat individually before baking.
Lamb with Spinach
- 2.5 lb lamb neck
- 2 lb fresh spinach
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch green onion
- 2/3 cup oil
- 1 tbsp flour
- Salt, pepper, paprika
- Sour cream or sheep’s milk yogurt
Cut the lamb into chunks. Sauté chopped onion in oil until soft, add lamb, brown on all sides. Season with paprika, salt, pepper, and add warm water. Simmer until tender. Add chopped spinach and green onion, cover and cook until greens wilt. Adjust seasoning. Stir in flour dissolved in a little water, cook for 10 more minutes. Serve with sour cream or yogurt.
Roast Lamb with Potatoes
- 3–4 lb young lamb
- Oil, salt, optional ground rosemary and pepper
- 4 lb baby potatoes
- 2 lb green peas
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- Fresh dill
Rinse and pat dry the lamb, then refrigerate overnight wrapped in a towel. Rub with oil and salt (add herbs if desired), and place in a roasting pan. Bake in a cold oven, set to 430°F, then reduce to 400°F once heated. Roast until the crust turns golden, basting occasionally with warm water. Partially boil the potatoes, arrange around the lamb, and roast another 30 minutes. Sauté chopped onion in oil, add peas and a bit of water, season, and simmer until tender. Mix cornstarch with water, add to peas to thicken. Finish with fresh chopped dill. Serve lamb with potatoes and peas.
Easter Bundt Cake
For the cake:
- 6 eggs
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 6 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the filling:
- 5 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 5 tbsp strong black coffee
- 5 oz butter
- Rum, breadcrumbs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Chocolate or marzipan eggs for decorating
Whip 6 yolks with sugar until creamy, add flour and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Grease and breadcrumb a bundt pan and bake at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean. For the filling, beat 5 yolks with sugar and vanilla sugar, add coffee, and cook over steam until thick. Cool slightly, then stir in whipped butter. Slice the base of the cake, carefully hollow out the center. Mix the crumbs with the filling and a splash of rum. Refill the cake, close with the base, and chill for at least 1 hour. Whip the cream and decorate the cake with cream and chocolate eggs. Place on a decorative stand.
