EASTER IN PORTUGAL

Made by: André Santos and Pedro SáEB 2,3 dos Olivais School, Lisbon

As all catholic countries Portugal has a long tradition in celebrating Easter. On Holy Friday, we can say, that almost all Portuguese Christians don't eat meat.This fasting ends on Saturday of Easter with the traditional roast kid in the family. This day there are on the table a set of typical delicacies such as “folares”, almonds, chocolate eggs and other sweets.

EASTER TRADITIONS IN PORTUGAL

Braga in the north of Portugal has a festive atmosphere during the “Semana Santa” (Holy Week). The Ecce Homo Procession on Good Friday, led by the Farricocos (barefoot men in tunics with hoods) ,is one of the most peculiar parts of the Portuguese religious tradition.

RELIGION

In Castelo de Vide region in the south, you’ll experience a very different Easter celebration, one with Jewish origins. In the morning of Easter Eve, the region’s shepherds invade the town centre to have their flocks of sheep blessed. At night, during the “Vigília Pascal” (Paschal Vigil), people ask for forgiveness in secret. At the end of the mass, all those present bring cowbells that ring the “Cortejo da Aleluia” (Procession of Alleluia) through the town.

RELIGION

Apart from Christmas Lunch , we can say that Easter Lunch is the most important meal of Portuguese Christians.

Traditionally, on Easter Sunday, we have a meat plate: generally kid goat or  lamb, but a lot of times also Pig (roasted pig or ham). In some areas they include in  Easter menu a stuffed pie of several meats and eggs.

EASTER SUNDAY LUNCH

The Easter Sunday Lunch Recipe

• Cabrito ou borrego assado no forno (Kid goat or sheep roasted)

Ingredients:  1 kid goat of medium size 125 butter gr or margarine 100 bacon gr 4 onions 4 cloves of garlic 2 parrot leaves 1 parsley branch 2,5 dl of white wine 1 colorau teaspoon 500 gr of potatoes Salt and pepper

Preparation: 1. Prick 2 onions, the cloves of garlic and the

bacon finely. Join them 50   margarine gr and colorau and 1 dl of white wine and season with thick salt and pepper.

2. Obtain the kid goat and clay it with the prepared.

3.Dispose in the fund of recipient to roast the

remaining onions cut in slices. On these place the kid goat, join a parsley branch and the parrot and let to be like this 24 hours, in fresh place.

4. The following day water the kid goat with

the remaining white wine and dispose the potatoes cut at rooms. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Spread the remaining margarine cut in mouthfuls on the kid goat and the potatoes and take to roast in the oven, watering once in a while with the sauce that is going forming.

6. Accompany with lettuce salad and fried potatoes.

THE “FOLAR” In Portugal, godparents and godmothers always

offer a “folar”, the Portuguese Easter cake, to godchildren in tribute to the feast of Ressurrection of Jesus.

“Folar” recipe:Ingredients:  

1 kg flour 250 gr butter or margarine 35 gr of baker's ferment 100 gr of sugar 3 eggs

5 dl of milk Salt 1 spoon of coffee of herb-sweet 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Dissolve the ferment in some warm milk and, with 200 flour gr, make a mass. Let to leaven .

Work the remaining flour with the eggs, the sugar and the milk, until obtaining a very light mass, with plenty of body. Add the margarine later, salt, to herb-candy and the cinnamon.

Work well the mass and, finally, join it the ferment that was to leaven.

Work the mass until it comes off of the hands and of the alguidar( plastic pot). Cover with a cloth and let to leaven during 2 at 5 hours in warm place.

After that time, divide the mass in balls and flatten them. On each one it places 1 or more hard eggs, according to the size of the base of the mass.

Hold the eggs with some mass ribbons. Paint with a brush with egg yolk and cook in hot oven.

 

PREPARATION OF THE “FOLAR”:

EASTER CURIOSITIES The habit of offering coloured

eggs or decorations starts in Portugal in the XVth

century.The word Easter

comes from Eastre,the pagan

goddess of Spring.

Easter symbols (baskets, flowers, coloured eggs and rabbits) came from the pagan festivals.

German immigran

ts introduce

d the tradition

of the Easter Bunny

and the basket of

eggs.

Before Easter Day American and British people paint Easter eggs with bright colours and designs.

VISITED SITES

www.esec-eca-queiros-lsb.rcts.pt/.../festival.htmlwww.traditions.no.sapo.pt/portuguese_easter.htmwww.at1ce.org/themenreihe.p?c=Ceremonieswww.visitportugal.com