After diligently avoiding sweets and other tasty temptations for Lent, Catholic Spaniards know how to ring in the end of the religious season with amazing dishes during Holy Week.
From a Spanish version of French toast to a Catalan Easter cake, we count down Spaniards’ favourite Easter foods.
Torrijas
This scrumptious treat is very traditional for Easter, with recipes dating back to the 1600s. Thick pieces of bread are soaked in a mixture of milk and egg, then fried with olive oil and served with honey, sugar and cinnamon (see image above).
RECIPE: Recipe: How to make Spain’s delicious Easter dish Torrijas
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Pestiños
Also popular for Christmas time, pestiños are commonly made in southern Spain by deep-frying a piece of dough – often flavoured with sesame – in olive oil and then glazing it with honey or sugar.
Pestiños are very popular in Andalusia. Photo: Ismael Olea/Wikipedia Commons
Hornazo
This meat pie that hails from Salamanca and Ávila is often filled with pork loin, chorizo and hard-boiled eggs. There is also a sweet version with almonds, sugar and eggs.
Hornazo is a typical Easter snack in Castilla y León, especially in Salamanca. Photo: Tamorlan/Wikipedia Commons
Mona de Pascua
Especially popular in Catalonia and Valencia, this cake is traditionally given to children as a gift. Cakes are topped with either boiled eggs, or chocolate ones, as well as colourful decorations.
Try some monas de Pascua this Easter. Photo: Juan Emilio Prades Bel / WikiCommons
Flores de Semana Santa
Also known as flores manchegas, these sweet and fried pastries come in delightful flower-like shapes.
These sugary treats are from the central region of Castilla-La Mancha. Photo: Tamorlan/Wikipedia
Potaje de Vigilia
Traditionally served on Good Friday before Easter Sunday, this ‘vigil stew’ is made of cod, chickpeas, spinach and garlic.
Potaje de Vigilia is a dish which usually contains chickpeas, spinach, cod and egg. Photo: Toniher/Wikipedia
Buñuelos
Basically a fried doughnut, this treat is made with simple ingredients of water, milk, egg or yeast and can be sweet or savoury.
Buñuelos are typical of Valencia and are eaten throughout the year, not just at Easter. Photo: Marie73 Giménez Martínez/Unsplash
Leche Frita
Literally ‘fried milk’, this sweet is typical in northern Spain, made by cooking flour with milk and sugar until it becomes firm. It is then topped off with cinnamon and a sugar glaze.
Even though it’s typical of northern Spain, you’ll be able to find leche frita in other parts of the country. Photo: Tirithel/Wikipedia Commons
Bartolillos
Traditionally served in Madrid, bartolillos are dumplings of thin dough, fried with a custard filling.
If you’re in the Spanish capital this Easter, have some bartolillos. Photo:Photo: Tamorlan/Wikipedia Commons
Sopa de Ajo
This soup, often made of garlic, chicken broth, egg and sherry, is a traditional dish to serve during Semana Santa.
Garlic is a staple of the Spanish diet, and this tasty soup will keep the vampires at bay. Photo: G M/Wikipedia Commons
