Italian Easter-Egg Bread Baskets
The Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook’s recipe, Italian Easter-Egg Bread Baskets comes from Cynthia Abate-Upson of South Lawrence, Massachusetts.
The recipe was passed down from her great-grandmother Dorothea Bonacorsi Bounanno who came to America, from Sicily, in 1922. Growing up, Cynthia would ask her mother every year around Easter time "When are we going to make the baskets." These baskets remind people of Italian descent of home, family and childhood.
Italian Easter-Egg Bread Baskets
6 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
4 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
colored sprinkles
1 cup corn oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
7 eggs
milk & egg white, for brushing
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Color eggs first. To color eggs (6), boil 1/2 cup water (for each desired color), add 1 tsp. vinegar. Add 10 drops of desired food color. Roll egg in water solution. Take pan off stove - let egg dry on spoon.
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Set oven for 350°.
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Line two cookie sheets with foil.
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Combine sifted flour, baking powder and sugar. Set aside.
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Beat together, eggs, oil & vanilla.
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Knead with spoon, while adding dry mixture to egg mixture, a little at a time. Knead with hands on a clean surface until evenly mixed. Do not over knead.
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On foil-lined tin, shape a cupful of dough into a basket shape.
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Place colored egg in center and cover with a small piece of rolled dough sealing edges to basket.
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Using hands, roll a 1" wide, 6" long piece of dough lengthwise - then curve to resemble basket handles. Attach by pressing with fingers to basket.
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Brush basket with egg white and apply sprinkles.
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Then brush with milk.
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Bake 20 minutes at 350° on foil-lined cookie sheet.
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Let cool before removing with wide spatula.
Enjoy!
For more great recipes from around the world, purchase your copy of The Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook.
The cookbook is a 268-page spiral-bound book containing recipes from thirty-five countries. The recipes are introduced with family memories. The book also contains a History of Ellis Island, Chronology, Immigrant Food Memories.