Since it was mainly my elderly neighbors who taught me what I know about gardening, my garden follows the ancient rhythm of this Italian region, and hereabouts, Easter is when the last of the greens get pulled up, and used to make Torta Pasqualina the traditional vegetable Easter pie ("Pasqua" means "Easter").
This week I did just that, picking all the chard, which we've greatly enjoyed throughout the year, and this winter especially - thank goodness I plucked all those stink bugs, one by one, back in August (here).
The distinguishing feature of a torta Pasqualina is that among the filling - a mixture of vegetables, ricotta, parmesan and marjoram - are nested several whole eggs. Whereas in many parts of the world, it's become an Easter tradition to decorate eggs, in our area the customary celebration is more frugal and austere: eggs get eaten inside a vegetable pie made with the remains of the crops. This is very closely connected to agricultural cycle in a land where food is scarce, grown on narrow terraces squeezed between steep hills and the Mediterranean.
I was thinking about all this yesterday, as I was working in the garden, hoeing around each of the chard plants, pulling them up, cutting off the roots, removing the damaged leaves and tossing them into the compost - a lengthy job.
When the bells of our local church rang twice at midday (here), I knew it was time to stop and go back to the house. And at that moment I realized how whole-heartedly, against all odds, I've come to embrace the traditions of this region.
Wishing you a peaceful and happy Easter weekend!
