Pizza de Pasqua de Civitavecchia

Pizza de Pasqua de Civitavecchia is a traditional dessert hailing from Civitavecchia, hence the name. The cake is made exclusively in the short time period before Easter, and it is then consumed the following week. It is made with a combination of soft wheat flour, sugar, butter, eggs, cinnamon, sheep's ricotta, vanilla, aniseed, yeast, and either wine or vermouth. The cake is baked in ovens for about one hour in specially-designed circular pans. It is traditionally left to stand for a week before consumption, as this will enhance its natural flavors. Pizza de Pasqua de Civitavecchia is mostly prepared at home as an accompaniment to the staples of Easter breakfast – salami, hard-boiled eggs, and coratella (lamb offal) with artichokes. This cake is also often exchanged as a gift during the Easter festivities.