The perfect Easter menu? Tradition says that each region has its own recipes, but there is usually no shortage of spring early produces and lamb-based second courses.
The same rules apply in Tuscany, too, with traditional and rich dishes that satisfy all types of palates.
Here then are the must-haves of the Easter table, for an unforgettable and lively lunch.
When it comes to appetizers, you can’t miss the crostini neri (black crostini), a real must in Tuscan tradition.
Made with chicken livers, capers and a mix of herbs, they are perfect for any occasion.
If the meal is informal, you can opt for slices of roasted bread to be prepared directly on the table; if, instead, it is a more elegant occasion, the crostini can be served on the tray already prepared.
With an enveloping and delicate flavor, gnudi are a traditional peasant first course.
The name says it all: they are so called because they are literally the filling of ravioli, but without the dough around it.
In fact, the dough is shaped just like this, naked - or gnudo as they say in Tuscany - and cooked in boiling water.
Only a few ingredients are needed to cook them, but for an optimum output, the raw materials - spinach, ricotta and butter - must be of the highest quality.
And after such a graceful first course, our palate is ready for something explosive: buglione d’agnello is a rich, thick stew, cooked slowly over the fire with just a sprig of rosemary and a few cloves of garlic, half a glass of wine, tomatoes and freshly picked herbs.
In some parts of Maremma - the buglione's homeland - it is served as a soup, accompanied by slices of toasted bread.
The strong flavor of this recipe is perfect for a truly unforgettable meal.
Easter schiacciata is a leavened cake that takes a long time to make; each part of Tuscany claims its own recipe, in fact, depending on the area the spices and flavors change.
For those with a sweet tooth, the most popular combination is with chocolate from the Easter egg, but it can also be eaten on its own, perhaps dipped in a good Vin Santo.