If  we choose carefully, the traditions we celebrate will teach our children the important lesson that love is a verb.
Picasso said "There is no such thing as love, only the act of love."
Family traditions are acts of love.

Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter, add 3 or 4 eggs as needed and blend making dough. Divide the dough in half and roll out to the size to fill a 9" x 13" oblong pan. Lightly sprinkle corn meal at the bottom of the pan before lining with dough. Fill with eggs and cheese mixture and sprinkle lightly with olive oil. Roll out the remaining dough to fit on the top like a pie. Apply a little water with you fingertips around the dough that will be pinched to close the crusts to seal. Slash the top crust to allow the steam to escape and glaze with an egg wash (2 Tblsp water and 1 egg beaten). Cook in a 350° for 1 hour or until golden brown.

Serve warm or chilled. We usually serve with the antipasti when then guests arrive.

Calzone can be made ahead of time and frozen and thawed and warmed for Easter.

Rinse & pat the lamb dry. Make slits all over the surface of the lamb with the tip of a knife, push livers of garlic deeply into several of the holes. Mix parsley, oregano, mint, salt, pepper, moisten the herb mixture with olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. Coax the herb mixture into the holes.

Roast the lamb in a preheated 400° oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325° and roast for 30 minutes per pound. If you are using a meat thermometer, the temperature will register at 170° to 175°. Let the lamb rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

1 cake yeast
1 C scalded milk
6 C flour
1 small can evaporated milk
1 C warm water

Disolve yeast with sugar in the warm milk. Set aside to rise. Sift flour in deep bowl. Add warm evaporated milk mixted with water and melted butter. Add beaten egg yolks, salt and yeast mixture. Kead very well. Cover and let set in a warm place, away from any drafts. Let dough rise for 2 hours. Roll out on a floured board, divide into portions for braids. Cover, let stand for 15 minutes. Braid the bread loosely. form a loosely braided ring, leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough. Preheat oven to 350°. Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with beaten egg white, sprinkle lightly with extra fine sugar. Bake in 350° preheated oven for 10 minutes then raise temperature to 375° and bake for an hour, or until golden

5 C flour
1-1/2 C sugar
3 teasp. baking powder
4 eggs
3/4 C milk

Preheat oven to 350° . Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix thoruoughly. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add the milk and vanilla and mix. Pour the milk mixture into center of the flour mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into five pieces. On a floured work surface, roll each into 1/2" thick ropes. Cut into 3" lengths and tie each into a loose knot. Place on a baking sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until dry. They will be pale in color. Cool until still warm then ice.

While biscotti are baking. Combine confectioners' sugar, cream and lemon juice. Stir briskly until smooth. Divide the icing into seperate bowls to tint with food coloring to pale yellow, green and pink. . Dip the tips of the warm biscotti into the glaze and set on a cookie sheet to dry.

1-1/2 C. pearl tapioca
2 C. hot milk
1/4 teasp. salt
1/4 teasp. grated lemon peel
1 Tblsp. sugar
1/4 teasp. cinnamon
1-1/4 C. sugar
1-1/4 lb. Ricotta

2 C. sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 teasp. cinnamon
1/4 teasp. grated lemon peel
1/2 C. candied citron and orange peel diced fine
4 egg whites, beaten stiffly
1 recipe pasta frolla (below)
2 Tblsp. confectioners' sugar

Soak tapioca in water the night before baking the tart. After soaking overnight, boil in water 15 minutes and drain. Add hot milk, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and half the lemon peel, and simmer until milk has completely evaporated. Remove from fire and cool.

Place ricotta in a bowl and beat with mixer until it is very smooth. Add sugar and egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add cinnamon, candied citron and candied orange peel, the rest of the lemon peel and lastly the cooked tapioca. Mix together well and blend in egg whites which have been beaten until stiff but not dry.

Divide pasta frolla into 2 parts, one larger than the other and roll the larger piece into a 1/2" thickness. Butter and flour a 10" spring form pan and line the bottom and sides with the rolled out piece of pastry, trim edges. Pour in the ricotta filling. Roll out smaller piece pasta frolla and cut into 1" strips. Place strips criss-cross over the cheese filling. Trim edges. Bake cake in a moderate oven at 375° for 45 minutes. Let cool in pan. When cool, push up the bottom of spring pan. Transfer tart to a serving dish and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Pasta Frolla

Mix flour sugar and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients on pastry board. Place butter, eggs and lemon rind in well and work dough with hands quickly. do not add water. When smooth shape into ball and chill 30 minutes. Frolla can be used for many recipes using pastries.