The Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia feature the most unique Easter breads. Some of the most interesting are the Coccoi Cun S’ou from Sardinia and the Pupo con l’uova or Cuddura cù ll’ova from Sicily. In both cases, eggs are encased in bread which is then sculpted into various intricate designs. In Sicily, a hard-boiled egg is placed in the center of the bread and designed as an Easter basket around it. Sicilians also create baby-doll breads which are made for little girls while breads shaped like ducks, lambs or even horses are given to boys.
There is an ancient Sardinian proverb which says, Chie hat pane, mai no morit – translated as with bread you will never die. This very elaborate type of bread is popular to mark Easter with Coccoi Cun S’Ou – bread with egg. It is made using the island’s semolina wheat flour and it is prepared with all sorts of decorations, with baby chicks, fish, fruits and flowers being the most popular. The Coccoi Cun S’Ou will have an egg in the middle as a symbol of rebirth. According to Sardinian tradition, the Coccoi Cun S’Ou was given as a gift to children as a symbol of good luck.
