The Agnello di Pasqua (Paschal Lamb or Easter Lamb) is a classic Easter cake from the Lodi area or the Lodigiana. It’s made of flaky pastry and is usually filled with crema pasticciera (Italian custard). Variations are fillings of Chantilly cream or chocolate.

At Pasticceria La Lombarda (the Lombard) in Lodi, they have been preparing cakes and other sweets for 90 years. It was Easter Saturday and preparations were well underway for the big Easter lunch the next day. The agnello di Pasqua is the pasticceria’s strong point and very popular.

I remember once being in Paris and walking away from a patisserie with a little cake wrapped in a box (Parisian style and incredibly chic) and thinking it was the most heavenly thing I could possibly hold in my hands. This had a similar effect, the ritual of something special all wrapped up, in this case freshly made cannoncini. 

Pasticceria La Lombarda, Via Garibaldi, 16, Lodi.