Freshly Baked Italian Cheese Bread

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This Italian cheese bread is a delicacy for the Easter Monday picnic. It is eaten with salami and boiled eggs, and sometimes bacon or sausages are also added to the dough to make Italian sausage bread or bacon bread. Either way, it is good all year round!

What is it

This bread has a crunchy crust and a soft inside with a deliciously cheesy and slightly spicy taste from the Parmesan and the Pecorino. If you want to add some goodness you can also mix in the dough 2 oz – 50 g of bacon or sausages and make an Italian sausage bread or bacon cheese bread.

One slice is already very filling but it is so good, you have to get a second one.

It is perfect for a picnic, a brunch or a standing buffet party as it is easy to eat with your hand. It is usually served with a boiled egg and some slices of salami. That is why it is often baked for an Easter brunch or for Easter Monday picnic. It is perfect with any Easter dinner leftovers.

How to make it

It is very easy to make and you can either make it with a bread machine or with a mixer.

Using a bread machine

If you use a bread machine, you just pour the wet ingredients in first, then the dry ingredients. Add the cheese only when the machine has finished the first kneading. It usually rings when it does.

Using a mixer

The recipe calls for fresh yeast so if you make the cheese bread with a mixer you need to make sure the yeast is activated.

Activating the Yeast

Whether you use fresh or dry yeast, you have to melt it in lukewarm water then set it aside until it forms a foam on top.

Preparing the wet ingredients

1. Mix the yeast with the lukewarm water, put aside and let it rest
2. Melt the butter in the microwave 1 minute at medium heat or in a pan and let it cool down
3. Add the oil and the eggs to the butter and mix
4. Add the yeast, stir and set aside

Prepare the dry ingredients

5. Mix the flour with salt and pepper

Mix the wet and dry ingredients

7. With the mixer stir the wet and dry ingredients together
8. making sure there are no lumps in the flour
9. Add the Parmesan, the Pecorino and stir
10. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes

Bake it

7. Cover the bottom of a baking pan with parchment paper, best if it is a pan with removable bottom. Butter the side of the pan
8. Pour the dough in the pan, cover with a cloth and let it rest for another 30 minutes
9. Bake in a hot oven at 320 F -160 C for 1 hour
10. Once done, let it rest for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan

15. Serve it with boiled eggs, salami, and any leftover from Easter dinner

Other recipes you can make for a cheesy picnic

If you are planning to make this bread for a picnic or for a brunch/lunch buffet, here are some other recipes you may want to include in your menu:

• Beef sausage hand pies
• Heidi pie
• Brioche Sausage roll
• Cheese gougere bourguignonne
• Broad beans minestra
• Wild asparagus flans
• Rissole a la Dauphine

for dessert Italian Easter cookies

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📋Italian Cheese Bread

This Italian cheese bread is a delicacy for the Easter Monday picnic. It is eaten with salami and boiled eggs, and sometimes bacon or sausages are also added to the dough to make Italian sausage bread or bacon bread. Either way, it is good all year round!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Resting time 1 hour

Servings: 8 people

Print Pin Rate

Author: Laura Tobin

Ingredients

1x2x3x

US Customary – Metric

Wet Ingredients

• 2/3 cup water
• 3 oz yeast
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup olive oil
• 6 fresh eggs

Dry ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pinch pepper

Cheese

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup pecorino

Equipment

• KitchenAid Mixer
• Bread machine
• Measuring mugs
• Mini Measuring Set
• Cake Pan with Removable Bottom 9 in

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Instructions

Prepare the wet ingredients

• Mix the yeast with the lukewarm water, put aside and let it rest
• Melt the butter in the microwave 1 minute at medium heat or in a pan and let it cool down
• Add the oil and the eggs to the butter and mix
• Add the yeast, stir and set aside

Prepare the dry ingredients

• Mix the flour with salt and pepper

Mix the wet and dry ingredients

• With the mixer stir the wet and dry ingredients together making sure there are no lumps in the flour
• Add the Parmesan, the Pecorino and stir
• Cover the bowl with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes

Bake it

• Cover the bottom of a baking pan with parchment paper, best if it is a pan with removable bottom
• Butter the side of the pan
• Pour the dough in the pan, cover with a cloth and let it rest for another 30 minutes
• Bake in a hot oven at 320 F -160 C for 1 hour
• Once done, let it rest for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan
• Serve with prosciutto, salami and boiled eggs

Video

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Notes

• If you have a bread machine, you can pour the wet ingredients first and the dry ingredients last and set up the bread machine to make bread dough. Add the cheese only when the machine has finished the first kneading. It usually rings when it does. 
• Make sure the butter is not hot when you add the eggs and the yeast
• You can use fresh yeast, dry yeast or sourdough yeast 
• You can replace the parmesan and pecorino cheese with other cheese based on your taste. Although best not to add creamy cheese as they will change the consistency of the dough
• The top of the bread tends to burn easily because of the cheese, keep the oven temperature at 320 F -160 C
• If you prefer a higher bread shape you can use a 7 in – 18 cm baking pan
• It is best to eat the same day, but if covered with cling wrap it will last for 3 days

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 722mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 656IU | Calcium: 249mg | Iron: 4mg

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