Get ready to discover the mouth-watering world of Italian bread with a focus on the beloved Easter dish, Casatiello. We’ll explore the history, symbolism, and ingredients that make it so unique, and share a recipe for you to try at home. Let’s get baking!
Servings
8
Ready In:
4h 40 min
Calories:
907
Good For:
Lunch
About this Recipe
By: Silvana Lanzetta


Wines
- Gragnano Rosso DOC
- Falanghina dei Campi Flegrei
- Lambrusco DOC
- Bonarda DOC
- Piedirosso dei Campi Flegrei DOC
- Coteaux Champenois AOC
- Pashkà IGT
- Fric Aglianico Rosato Frizzante
- Aglianico del Taburno Rosato
- Falanghina Beneventano
- Catalanesca del Monte Somma IGT
- Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso
- Terzotratto Taurasi DOCG


Nutrition
Casatiello is delicious, but it contains high amounts of saturated fat and sodium, so it’s better consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
- Proteins 18%
- Carbs 25%
- Fats 57%

The Ingredients
Flour
Pepper
Cured Meats
Lard
Cheese
One of the things that makes Casatiello so incredibly scrumptious is the cheese. We’re talking grated parmesan and pecorino in the dough, and cubed extra-mature cheese in the filling. I mean, does it get any better than that? But, here’s a word of caution – make sure you don’t over-salt your dough because the cheeses are already pretty salty on their own.
Eggs
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Casatiello
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 portions 1x
Description
Indulge in the savoury flavours of this traditional Neapolitan Easter bread. Packed with mouth-watering cheese, salami, and eggs, it’s the perfect addition to any holiday table.
Ingredients
- 500 grams manitoba flour
- 15 grams fresh yeast (or 7 grams dried yeast)
- 100 grams lard
- 80 grams grated pecorino
- 80 grams grated parmesan
- 10 grams black pepper, coarsely ground
- Salt
- 70 grams neapolitan salami
- 70 grams pancetta
- 70 grams extra mature cheese
- 50 grams mortadella
- 250/ 300 grams lukewarm water
- 3 eggs
Instructions
- To make the perfect Casatiello, start by arranging the flour in a large bowl. Create a hole in the centre of the flour, then add in the yeast, salt, pepper, grated cheese, and half of the lard.
- Slowly add in the warm water and mix until everything is combined. Gradually add in the rest of the lard while kneading until the dough is uniform, elastic, and doesn’t stick to the work surface.
- Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover it with cling film and a kitchen towel, and let it rise for 2 hours.
- Once it has risen, take the dough and roll it out onto a floured surface, forming a rectangle about 5mm thick.
- Cover the rectangle with cubes of salami, cheese, and hard-boiled eggs (if using).
- Starting from one of the short sides of the rectangle, roll the dough on itself, making sure the filling stays inside.
- Form a donut shape and place it in a circular oven dish, preferably with a cylindrical separator in the centre (if you don’t have one, a heatproof glass jar will work).
- If you want to decorate your Casatiello with eggs, evenly arrange 3 or 4 hard-boiled eggs, still in their shells, on the surface, and close them with two strips of dough in the shape of a cross.
- Cover with a clean tea towel and let it rise for another hour.
- Preheat your oven to 150॰C/ 300॰F/ gas mark 2, then place the Casatiello on the middle shelf and let it cook for 1 hour.
- Once it’s done, remove from the oven and let it cool completely before serving.
Notes
For optimal flavour, it’s recommended to allow your Casatiello to rest for at least one day after baking. This will give the ingredients enough time to meld together and create a truly delicious bread.
Casatiello can be stored at room temperature for 4-5 days, simply by covering it with a clean tea towel.
For best results in this recipe, we recommend using Napoli salami. If this is not available, a French saucisson can also work well. It’s important to purchase the salami in one piece and cube it into small pieces for the recipe.
When making Casatiello, a variety of cured meats can be used to add flavour to the bread. Recommended options include salami, smoked lardons, mortadella, and cooked ham. For those looking to stay true to tradition, pork scratchings can also be added to the mix.
Provolone semi piccante, a semi-spicy aged cheese from Italy, is a common ingredient in Casatiello. However, this cheese can be difficult to find outside of Italy. A good substitute for Provolone is extra mature cheese. If you prefer a milder flavour, you can also use Gruyere as a replacement
For a healthier take on Casatiello, you can replace the lard with 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil. This simple swap reduces the saturated fat content and provides a different flavour profile.
For a vegetarian twist on Casatiello, you can replace the cured meat with chopped artichoke. This substitution not only provides a delicious and unique flavor, but also makes the dish suitable for vegetarians.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Rest Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Baking
- Method: slow food
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: cheese, cured meats, eggs, easter food, neapolitan food, rich bread, picnic food