ItalianNotebook – Italy Travel Blog
  • Places
  • Events
  • Food & Wine
  • Art & Archaeology
  • Local Interest
Trending Now
Pistachio Panna Cotta
Authentic Italian Pizza: DOUGHn’t You Love It?!
Money Makes the World Go Round
Recipes: Pasta con Pomodoro e Basilico
Christmas in Italy
SEAs The Day
Italian Houses for Different Personalities
Italy from a Local’s Viewpoint
Which Italian Sports Car Would You Go For?
ESPRESS-o Yourself
ItalianNotebook – Italy Travel Blog
  • Places
  • Events
  • Food & Wine
  • Art & Archaeology
  • Local Interest
Food & Wine

Spring’s Secret Agent

by Mary Jane Cryan March 29, 2011
written by Mary Jane Cryan March 29, 2011
The other day I was walking by the pharmacy in my little town of S. Agata dè Goti. It is run by the Viola family and I was surprised to see a long line of women waiting to enter the door. What was going on? Had there been a sudden epidemic or an accident of some sort?

As I neared the door, I was relieved to see that the women didn’t seem at all upset, but were animatedly discussing a momentous topic: the dish that would be gracing every table on Easter Sunday, the symbol of Neapolitan pastry: la pastiera.

Pastiera is a delicious and nutritious pie make of ricotta, boiled grain, eggs, lard, milk, sugar, spices and candied fruits cooked in a pastry shell in an appropriate pan called ‘il ruoto’. It is baked on Holy Thursday and Good Friday and is served on Easter Sunday, which allows enough time for the fragrances to mix, giving it its unique flavor.

It has, however, a secret ingredient: aqua di fiori d’arancio or aroma of orange blossoms.

The origins of this recipe goes back to the cult of Ceres, Roman goddess of agriculture, fertility and motherly love, whose worshipers brought grain, eggs, milk and honey in procession to celebrate the rebirth of life in Spring.

But pastiera as it is known today was developed in the peace and quiet of the ancient convent of San Gregorio Armeno in Naples, rather appropriately built on the ruins of the temple dedicated to Ceres. The story goes that the nuns decided to develop a recipe that would signify the Resurrection: eggs symbolizing Life and orange blossoms denoting innocence, chastity, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness. They made hundreds of these pies and distributed them at Easter to the wealthy patrons of Naples.

But where does one find aroma of orange blossoms? That was what I was about to find out at Mrs. Viola’s pharmacy. There on the counter, next to the chapstick, was a basket full of little bottles with yellow labels stating: “ Farmacia Viola, S. Agata dei Goti (BN), Essenza per Colombe”. There was no list of ingredients on the bottle, but my curiosity was so tickled that I had to buy a bottle.

When I returned home, I unscrewed the top and sure enough, a heady perfume of orange and cinnamon filled my nostrils with the aroma of pastiera.

Ahhhh! Spring is here at last!



0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Mary Jane Cryan

previous post
Pasta al Pesto Genoese
next post
Umbria and Pork

Related Posts

Pistachio Panna Cotta

January 15, 2021

Authentic Italian Pizza: DOUGHn’t You Love It?!

January 11, 2021

Recipes: Pasta con Pomodoro e Basilico

December 30, 2020

ESPRESS-o Yourself

December 3, 2020

Must Try Italian Seafood Recipes

November 24, 2020

What’s So Good About Italian Beers?

November 24, 2020

Health Benefits of Wine

October 6, 2020

Rome’s Best Cappuccino

July 18, 2020

Rita’s Involtini Recipe

March 19, 2020

Summer recipe: Pomodori al Riso

July 26, 2019

Instagram

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Il Parco dei Mostri di Bomarzo

    May 4, 2010
  • 2

    The Girlfriends “But We Don’t Do It That Way” Fried Zucchini Flower Recipe

    September 30, 2018
  • 3

    Sardella: Calabrian Caviar

    June 26, 2013

Categories

  • Art & Archaeology (22)
  • Events (21)
  • Food & Wine (40)
  • ItalianNotebook (7)
  • Local Interest (44)
  • Places (42)

Facebook

ItalianNotebook Facebook

Instagram

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

🇮🇹 All Right Reserved by ItalianNotebook.com since 2006

Copyright Mary Jane Cryan 2007-2014