Easter Mondate - Pasquetta Planning, Programming and survival technics
Picnics are the regular fixtures for Easter
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So the question always is, "Where do you go"? The Picnic is an opportunity to spend a day outdoors in the countryside, at the sea or by a lake as long as you have good company and good food ... but of course you also need good organization and preparation as well!
That's maybe why I have always admired the Swiss for their love of picnics - above all because they never lack anything: super-equipped, super organised, full baskets with everything they need with them. Do you want to grill, someone asks? No problem, do they even have pliers, are you planning a picnic on the river? When you want to sit down they pull out folding stools because the rocks are jammed with people even in August. Would you like to swim at the lake and take a nap later on the slightly damp lawn?
No worries, they also have blankets with a waterproof side!!. We, on the other hand, we make a living!!! We start by rummaging around in our kitchen, taking out bags and then more bags, looking for plastic dishes and mismatched cutlery. We dont bring glasses because they are too heavy to carry. We are always missing something but please don't let it be the corkscrew ever again!!! We walk and walk and finally as if its a mirage we find the ideal space, under a tree that protects from the sun's rays but also easily allows you to move to a spot where you can find find the warmth of the sun. You relax, play a game or two, then when a little out of breath, begin to taste the little but lovely food we brought, "Hey dudes” . Someone says ,'I also brought wine that was made by my grandfather" and then starts to fumble in the bag in search of the corkscrew ...but there is nothing there so you say, "love, you did pack it, didn'tyou?" "No honey, I was convinced that you said you would put it in..... " Well at that moment you would like to curse in multiple languages simultaneously!!!! But as Fantozzi taught us in the very sad 80s, he bends his head to quietly live and pulls forward with a little ingenuity.
Luckily, every group has a friend, who is a "McGyver," the one who in these circumstances starts rummaging in his pocket in search of a screw "so I can use it as a bottle opener", Or the friend who is a little naive and says "oh guys, I saw a tutorial on youtube that if you put the bottle in the river and then beat it on the grass, the cork comes out ... like magic" At that point the teasing starts and then either the most practical person or the most "thirsty" person in the group takes the bottle and sadly sets off in search of someone who was more awake than us when packing.... So its true that the Swiss are certainly a lot more efficient than us but I think they have a lot less fun too .... From your mistakes you learn (they say!) So now a brief recap on what you cannot afford to forget in the perfect picnic basket ... in addition to food:
- CORKSCREW A lighter to light a fire (only if safe and if allowed)
- A large basket or a backpack for dirty and reusable dishes
- A thermal bag in which to store drinks and foods that must be kept cool
- Some plastic bags for recycling
- Tablecloth or blanket
For the Easter picnic I prepare pickled eggs, the Easter cake with a recipe from my father that uses salami and cheese, and broad beans and pecorino.
Recipes
Pickled eggs
18 fresh organic eggs 1 lt of vinegar (I prefer apple vinegar)
4 cloves of garlic
4 shallots
4 long pepper berries or a tablespoon of peppercorns
4 bay leaves or rosemary extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper a 2 lt glass jar
Boil the eggs in salted water for 10 minutes, let them cool and shell them. Meanwhile heat the vinegar (open the windows or turn on the fan, because the fumes are very strong) turn off the heat as soon as the small bubbles are formed and add the aromatic herbs. Once the vinegar is warm we pour it into the glass jar which must be clean and dry; I, for safety, dry it on the very low flame of a stove. Immerse the hard-boiled eggs in the vinegar, close the jar well and once it is cold we put everything in the fridge for at least a week, so that all the flavors blend together. Excellent snack or appetiser, and tastes even better if seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
Broad bean and pecorino salad
2 kg of broad beans
400 grams of pecorino marzolino salt, pepper, evo oil toasted bread
lemon juice and parsley if you like
In Tuscany we eat the broad beans and the pecorino cheese in our hands - peel the beans and bite the cheese, but if you have patience to peel the broad beans and cut the pecorino into cubes without eating them during the process, I highly recommend you make a salad! Season with oil, salt and pepper, add a little lemon and parsley and toast some good Tuscan bread.
Easter savoury cake (grandfather Augusto"s recipe)
500 g Stone-mill ancient grain flour
75 g grated Parmesan cheese
100 g diced gruyere 100 gr of diced salami
75 g of grated pecorino cheese
10 g of brewer's yeast
200 ml of milk 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs salt
The flour is mixed with milk, oil, eggs, brewer's yeast, salt and grated cheeses to make bread. Once the dough is smooth and not sticky, add the gruyere and diced salami and leave to rise for at least two hours. The pan that is traditionally used for this is round with high edges but it is also good in the shape of a plumcake. It is baked in the oven at 180 ° for 40 minutes, once cooled it is excellent as an appetiser.
