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Casatiello Napoletano (Easter Lard Bread)

Course Bread
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 650 g Bread Flour
  • 10 g Salt
  • 200 g Warm Water
  • 3 Eggs, room temp
  • 90 g Lard
  • 7 g Active Dry Yeast
  • Pepper to taste
  • Frittole (pork bits) or Cured meats of choice for sprinkling inside the dough
  • 4-6 oz Sharp Provolone, cubed

Instructions
 

  • Mix flour, salt and pepper in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • In a separate bowl, add warm water, yeast and a tsp of sugar. Let the mixture sit for 10 mins until foamy.
  • Add the yeast mixture to the flour. Using the dough hook, begin to mix the dough. Add the eggs and lard and mix until the dough comes together and releases from the sides of the bowl.
  • Grease the bowl and coat the dough. Cover and let it rise until it doubles in size, 1-2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 425F.
  • Punch the dough down, cut into 2 pieces. Optional: Cut a small piece for decorations
  • Roll out each piece to an approximate 5in x 16in rectangle. Sprinkle with frittole or cured meats of choice. Roll up the dough. Do the same with the other piece of dough. Roll and stretch the dough out to about the 3 feet long. Twist the two pieces onto each other.
  • Grease a 10in/11in bundt pan (not fluted) with lard. Place the dough into the pan. Add 3-4 raw eggs nestled in between the twist. Cover and let it rise to the rim of the pan, 1-2 hours.
  • Brush with egg wash and bake at 425F for 30-40m mins. Remove from pan and place on a wire rack immediately to ensure the crust stays crisp.
Keyword Casatiello Napoletano, Easter, Easter Bread, Lard Bread