The Neapolitan Easter Casatiello is one of the most beloved traditional recipes of Neapolitan cuisine, prepared during Easter. This savory rustic pie, rich in cold cuts, cheeses, and with eggs embedded in the dough as a symbol of rebirth and renewal, is a recipe that cannot be missing from the Easter table.
Similar in appearance and ingredients to the Neapolitan Tortano, the casatiello has whole eggs with the shell placed on top of the dough, embedded with strips of dough crossed over, while in the tortano, the eggs are cut into pieces and placed inside the dough.
Do you want to find out how to make a homemade casatiello? With this step-by-step recipe, you too can create this rustic masterpiece directly in your kitchen!
Ready to get your hands dirty?
See you soon, Susy
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
- Energy 643.32 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 55.38 (g) of which sugars 2.88 (g)
- Proteins 30.34 (g)
- Fat 33.85 (g) of which saturated 14.56 (g)of which unsaturated 16.17 (g)
- Fibers 2.44 (g)
- Sodium 1,380.54 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 7 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Neapolitan Easter Casatiello
- 2 1/2 cups Manitoba flour
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 25 g fresh brewer's yeast
- 1/2 cup lard (or 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (to activate the yeast)
- 10 g salt
- to taste pepper
- 3.5 oz Neapolitan salami (diced)
- 3.5 oz ciccioli (or bacon)
- 5.3 oz spicy provolone (or mild)
- 2.1 oz pecorino
- 4 eggs
- to taste lard (to brush the surface)
How to make Neapolitan Easter Casatiello
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water with the sugar. Add the flour, lard, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until you get a soft, smooth, and elastic dough (it will take about 10 minutes).
Place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it doubles in size. In the meantime, dice the cold cuts and cheese.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, forming a rectangle about 0.4 inches thick. Sprinkle with pecorino and fill the surface with the cold cuts and spicy provolone. Cut two small strips of dough from the sides, as they will be used to create the crosses on the eggs.Roll the dough onto itself from the long side, forming a large sausage and place it in a ring mold greased with a bit of lard. Join the ends well to close the ring, place two small strips of dough crosswise on the raw eggs, and arrange them on top of the dough, pressing them lightly.
Cover with a cloth and let rise for another 2-3 hours, until the dough is swollen.
Brush the surface with melted lard and bake in a static oven at 356°F for about 60 minutes, until golden and fragrant.If the surface darkens too much, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil in the last 15 minutes.
Let it cool completely before cutting, as it tastes even better after a few hours of resting; indeed, the next day it is even tastier.
The casatiello keeps well for 2-3 days at room temperature, wrapped in plastic or in a cloth.
It can be slightly reheated in the oven or skillet the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add other cold cuts to the filling?
Of course, you can customize it with what you have: mortadella, cooked ham, mixed cheeses…
Can I use butter instead of lard?
You can use butter, even though lard is the traditional ingredient.
