As with many pagan symbols, it has been absorbed into Christian rituals. Actually, the egg’s pagan associations may be why Pope Gregory banned eggs during Lent in the seventh century. Eggs were subsequently given centre stage in Easter festivities, not just because the pagan symbol of resurrection could also be applied to the story of Christ, but because devotees wanted to celebrate the re-inclusion of this tasty, uniquely nutritious and versatile ingredient in their diets.
Celebration and practicality are combined in the tradition of decorating what became the ‘Easter egg’: as eggs needed to be stored for the whole of Lent, they would be covered in wax. From coloured, wax-covered eggs being presented as gifts after the Lenten restrictions were lifted at Easter, it’s a short step to intricately painted eggs, and from there to eggs being reproduced in chocolate.
The Easter treat in Catalunya, the mona, was traditionally a sweet cake made with eggs, flour and sugar, and given to godchildren by their grandparents. The mona was decorated with eggs (hard-boiled hens’ eggs at first, and later chocolate), with one for every year of the godchild’s life. But these days the mones have evolved into vast, intricate chocolate sculptures, usually depicting the latest football, film or cartoon heroes.
The medieval Lenten egg ban meant that they became the stars of Carnival as well as Easter. A favourite Catalan Dijous Gras (Fat Thursday, the Thursday before Ash Wednesday) omelette is made with botifarra d’ou—sausage made with pork meat and egg. It’s very typical of the Empordà region, and in some places, blood is added. In Pla d’Urgell, they use fatty meat, and add salt, pepper and breadcrumbs as well as egg.
The Lenten prohibition of eggs was lifted in the 15th century, but meat continued to be banned; a grateful populace made eggs a favourite dish during this flesh-free period. One traditional Lenten recipe, the truita amb trampa (omelette with a trick/swindle), fills out the precious commodity by adding flour or breadcrumbs to the eggs. In Tarragona, this parsimoniousness is compensated for by the addition of a romesco-like sauce.
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