pasca

Pasca, also written pască in Romanian and Moldovan contexts and known as paska in Ukrainian and other Slavic languages, is a traditional Easter bread of Eastern Europe. The name derives from Pascha, the Christian Easter festival.

Pasca is typically a yeast-leavened cake or loaf enriched with eggs and butter, often baked in a tall round form. A hallmark of the dish is a sweet cheese filling—made from curd cheese or full-fat ricotta, blended with eggs, sugar, vanilla, and sometimes raisins or lemon zest—that is either placed inside the loaf or spread in the center as it bakes. The top may be decorated with cuts, lattice patterns, or a cross motif, highlighting the bread’s festive character.

Regional variations exist across Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, and neighboring areas. In Romanian and Moldovan practice, pasca is central to the Easter table and is commonly blessed in church as part of the Easter food basket. In Ukrainian and other Slavic traditions, a similar bread called paska is prepared for Easter, with variations in dough richness, filling, and decoration.

Typical ingredients for the dough include flour, eggs, butter, milk, and yeast, producing a rich crumb. The cheese filling is often the defining feature, though some versions use a simpler sweetened dough or substitute cottage cheese or farmer cheese depending on local tradition and taste.

Etymology and related terms reflect its Easter association: from the Slavic forms of Pascha, with paska or paskha appearing in various languages. Pasca remains a symbol of renewal and communal celebration in Eastern European Easter observances.