Traditional Neapolitan Easter Bread Casatiello vs Tortano
The Neapolitan Easter Bread Casatiello is a staple of the Easter celebration in the Campania region, renowned for its rich, savory flavors. It is a rustic bread sumptuously rolled and filled with an assortment of leftover cold cuts, such as bacon, mortadella, and ham, alongside a variety of cheeses, including provola, mozzarella, and pecorino. The circular shape of the bread is evocative of a crown of thorns, while the whole eggs placed on top of the Casatiello symbolize the resurrection of Christ.
Servings 10 people
Calories 306kcal
Equipment
- Round pan with hole in middle 12 in - 30 cm
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
- ½ cup Provola or Provolone
- ½ cup salted ricotta or Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup bacon or prosciutto
- ⅓ cup ham or mortadella
- 4 fresh eggs raw for the Casatiello and boiled for the Tortano
- 3 tablespoon Nduja optional
- 1 extra egg for brushing
Instructions
Making the dough the day before
- For simplicity make the dough in the bread machine. Place all the ingredients in the bread machine and set the machine to DOUGH, no baking4 cups flour type 0, 1 ½ cups fresh water, ½ cup Lard, 2 tablespoon instant yeast, 1 teaspoon salt
- To make the dough with a stand mixer, follow the step-by-step instructions with images in the post and let it rest for one hour
Reinforcement Folds
- Transfer the dough onto a well-floured work surface and press the dough down with your fingers.
- Fold the upper section of the dough toward the center.
- Turn the dough 90 degrees and execute another fold.
- Continue this fold-and-turn procedure three times altogether.
- Once the folds are finished, allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes in a warm spot.
- Repeat the 20-minute resting period twice, giving the dough time to relax and the gluten to fully develop.
- Transfer the dough into a large, oiled container that is airtight and store in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.
The next day
- After refrigeration, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, enhancing its texture and making it easier to work with.
Preparing the Casatiello or Tortano
- Chop the various ingredients for the filling in small pieces.½ cup Provola, ½ cup salted ricotta, ⅓ cup bacon, ⅓ cup ham or mortadella, 3 tablespoon Nduja
- For Tortano, add chopped hard-boiled eggs to the rest of the filling ingredients.4 fresh eggs
- Grease a round pan with a center hole with lard (for this recipe, I used a pan with 12 in - 30 cm in diameter)
- Dust a work surface with flour and set aside a small piece of dough for decorating the Casatiello later.
- Roll out the remaining dough with a rolling pin into a rectangle on the floured surface. Aim for the longer side to be roughly the same as the pan's circumference.
- With a pastry brush, spread melted lard over the dough
- Evenly distribute the filling ingredients over the dough.
- For the Tortano add also the boiled eggs4 fresh eggs
- Roll the dough tightly from the long edge, and apply melted lard as you go.
- Place the rolled dough in the prepared cake pan, forming a circle.
- For the Casatiello, position the raw eggs on top of the dough, using the reserved dough to secure the eggs with two strips.4 fresh eggs
- Brush the top of the bread with egg wash to give it a nice colour1 extra egg for brushing
- Let the dough rise for 2 hours in a warm place.
- Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C) and bake for one hour until golden brown.
- After baking, let it cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes turning it over on a serving dish.
- Loosen the edges with a spatula and turn it over on a serving dish.
Video
Notes
To show the difference between the two I am making the half on the left a Casatiello and the half on the right a Tortano
Nutrition
Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 414mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 297IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg