Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua)

By Lucia Ferrara

Easter bread is a fun bread. It’s a fun bread to make with your children, with your family, with neighbors and friends. The tradition of Easter bread dates back centuries and comes from many parts of the world.

Bread symbolizes several things: The circle, braided shape of the bread reminds us of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore during is passion and crucifixion. The egg, nestled in the middle of the bread represents rebirth or resurrection.

People in many parts of the world dye their eggs for Easter. We’re going to use multicolored eggs in this recipe because in our traditions, we use eggs of many colors to mark Easter. On the other hand, in Greece for example, their tradition is to color all their eggs read, which symbolizes the blood of Jesus. So I thought that was kind of an interesting tradition. Everyone has different traditions and you can start making your tradition by maybe learning how to make this Easter bread today.

Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua)

• 3 ½-4 cups flour
• 2/3 cup of milk (warm)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup butter (room temperature)
• 2 eggs
• 2 ¼ tsp yeast
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of one orange (or lemon)
• 1 tsp Anise extract (or flavor of your choice)
• 6 eggs dyed but not boiled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Before putting loaves in oven, brush them with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1-2 tbsp of water.)

After you pull the loves from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes or so, make and apply this simple glaze. Beat together: 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar, 2 tsp milk, 1 tsp extract. Beat together and brush onto loaves. You can then apply sprinkles if you like.

Easter Table Prayer

Creator God and Lord of Life,
You who call forth from the darkness of death
all those who love You,
we rejoice, on this Easter Sunday,
in the resurrection from the dead
of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Visit our home and this table
with Your bright blessing of peace and life.
We pause in the midst of this prayer
to remember all the holy dead of our family
who live now in You and who await
the final and glorious resurrection of the dead.

Pause for silent reflection to remember those who have died.

May they and we,
because of our faith in You, our God,
taste in the victory of life over death.
May the Risen Christ, our Lord and Savior,
be our guest as we celebrate His resurrection
with this Easter Sunday dinner.
Bless those whose work to prepare this meal
has truly been a work of prayer,
and bless all of us who shall share it
with Easter love and joy.

May You, then, bless this table and this food,
and each of us
in Your holy name.

Amen.

— Fr. Edward Hays, “Prayers for the Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home”

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[Lucia Ferrara, the Director of Hospitality at Precious Blood Renewal Center. Share your thoughts with Lucia or ask her questions using the form below or by sending an email to info@pbrenewalcenter.org.]

This recipe was first published on April 4, 2022.

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