International Easter Treats

Easter weekend is here and that signals time for another standard ham and turkey dinner! I mean come on these are standard table mates for Family Holiday gatherings. But while we enjoy our North American Holiday cuisine, there is a World of flavour waiting for you to discover. Try wrapping your ham like you would a beef wellington with puff pastry or explore what other countries will be bringing to the table. Ecuador has a 12-Bean soup that is packed with flavour, and Mexico makes a bread pudding that should make its way onto every table at some point. Here are two International Easter dishes that encourage you to add to your next feast.
Rosquillos (cookies) and Rosquillas (donuts) come from Latin America and are a staple at Easter for family meals. These are huge in Spain and pair beautifully with a fortified wine like port or sherry. Your decision will be “do I want to make donuts that are like a fruit cake (due to no yeast in the recipe) or add wine and make cookies?” I like the booze option and ease of these delicious cookies that really you can make all year.
Rosquillos
1 C white wine
2 eggs
1 ½ C casters sugar (give table sugar a few pulses in a coffee grinder)
1 Cup EVO or grape seed oil or sunflower oil
3 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 C flour
1 ½ TBSP fresh orange juice
1 grated lemon rind
Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder

Set oven to 325F.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. May I suggest using your hands to mix the last cup of flour into the dough (better gauge if you need more liquid or not.)
Roll out dough and bake for 17- 20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the cookie).
Let cool on a wire bakers rack. Traditionally you can top with more sugar or make a glaze (remaining condensed milk and icing sugar) and top with diced dried fruit. I used mango, pineapple and strawberries for these.
Another option is to turn to Easter European countries. Russia and the Ukraine share a love for Pashka. Even the Finnish cuisine has this as an Easter treat on the majority of tables. People will go so far as to shape this into a religious artifact and decorate it with Roman numeral. Traditionally this is made with almonds but I like the taste pecans bring to this dish. Have thick crusty bread or cookie (like the lady fingers I used here) to scoop it up. You will LOVE this recipe!

Pashka
2 8oz packages of cream cheese (try the Greek yogurt style)
8oz cottage cheese
8oz sour cream
¼ C condensed milk (or uses 1 C white sugar mixed with ¼ C melted butter)
1 tsp lemon peel (grated)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C roughly ground pecans (original recipe calls for almonds…your choice)
½ C dried currants (or try dried cranberries)

Mix together cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, condensed milk (or the sugar butter mix) until smooth.
Fold in lemon and vanilla.
Place wax paper or cling wrap inside a mold or deep bowl. Add the crushed nuts to bottom of the bowl and spoon mixture on top being careful not to reach the sides of the bowl. Tilt the bowl and cover one side, spooning mixture on the nut layer. Continue until edges are covered in nuts and mold is full of the cheese mixture.
Refrigerate for 8-hours to allow a proper set. Release from mold and decorate with more nuts if desired and dried fruit.
Serve and enjoy!