Linda’s Torta Pasqualina

I’m from Lombardia, but every summer until I turned 18, my family and I would spend our holidays in Liguria, in a small seaside village called San Lorenzo al Mare. My mum absolutely adores Liguria—especially its culinary traditions. One summer, she discovered torta pasqualina and fell completely in love with it. Determined to recreate it at home, she asked nearly every local woman on the beach for their version of the recipe. Over the years, with a little inspiration from each conversation, she perfected it. Since then, it’s become a staple in our home, lovingly baked every Easter. Traditionally, torta pasqualina was made to mark the end of Lent—a 40-day period of fasting and abstinence, when ingredients like eggs and dairy were off-limits.