Casatiello
A rich Neapolitan savoury Easter bread enriched with lard, packed with cured meats and cheese, crowned with whole eggs baked into the crust.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 105 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 640 kcal
Equipment
- •Ring cake tin (ciambella pan, 26-28cm)
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Rolling pin
- •Pastry brush
- •Wire cooling rack
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- fat
- 35 g
- carbs
- 58 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 24 g
- calories
- 640 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water inside a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Add the flour, half the strutto (pork lard), salt, and cracked black pepper.
- 3
Knead the dough vigorously on a flat worktop for ten minutes until smooth.
- 4
Shape into a ball, cover loosely, and leave to rise for two hours until doubled.
- 5
Tear off a small palm-sized piece of dough and set it aside for decoration.
- 6
Roll the remaining dough into a large rectangle roughly one centimetre thick.
- 7
Scatter the salame, ciccioli, provolone, pecorino, and remaining lard evenly across the surface.
- 8
Roll the dough tightly from the long edge into a thick sausage shape.
- 9
Grease a ring tin with lard and arrange the dough roll inside, pinching the ends together.
- 10
Nestle the four raw whole eggs upright into the dough surface at equal intervals.
- 11
Roll the reserved dough into thin strips and arrange two across each egg in a cross.
- 12
Leave to rise for one hour, brush with beaten egg yolk, and bake at 180 degrees C for 50 minutes.
Chef's tips
Always use raw whole eggs on top because they will cook gently to perfection during the long bake. A generous amount of black pepper is essential to cut through the rich lard and cured meats.
Ingredient substitutions
- strutto (pork lard) → softened unsalted butter, though the crumb will be slightly less traditional
- ciccioli (pork cracklings) → cubed smoked pancetta or additional salame
- provolone piccante → caciocavallo or sharp mature provolone
Storage
Store wrapped tightly in foil or greaseproof paper at room temperature for up to three days.
Reheating
Warm individual slices in an oven preheated to 160 degrees C for five to seven minutes.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the eggs beforehand, which causes them to become rubbery and overcooked in the oven.
- •Under-seasoning the dough with pepper, losing the signature savoury kick of the bread.
- •Shortening the second rise, resulting in a dense, heavy loaf rather than an airy crumb.
Serving suggestions
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