The CRESCIA WITH CHEESE for Easter (also called Easter pizza or Easter pie) is a leavened baked product typical of many areas of central Italy, made from flour, eggs, Pecorino, and Parmigiano. It is traditionally served for breakfast on Easter morning, or as an appetizer during the Easter lunch, accompanied by blessed hard-boiled eggs, ciauscolo and red wine, or brought along for the Easter Monday picnic.
With its typical panettone-like shape, it is a product traditionally from the Marche region, but also common in Umbria. In the Umbrian–Marchigian area there is also a sweet variation where, in addition to sugar (with or without candied fruit), the sweet pizza is finished with a meringue glaze and sugar pearls.
The peculiarity of this product is its shape, given by the special mold in which it is left to rise and then baked: originally made of terracotta, today it is usually aluminum and has a flared shape.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 cup (about 4.2 oz) type 0 flour
- 3.5 fl oz (about 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) warm water (warm)
- 4 tsp fresh baker's yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 1/4 cups (about 13.4 oz) type 0 flour
- 4 eggs (medium)
- 1 1/2 cups (about 5.3 oz) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (grated)
- 1 cup (about 3.5 oz) grated Pecorino Romano (grated)
- 1/2 cup (about 1.8 oz) grated Emmental (grated)
- 3 oz Emmental (diced)
- Half teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lard
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE CRESCIA WITH CHEESE
- 1 Mold
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Stand mixer
PREPARATION OF THE CRESCIA WITH CHEESE
The first thing you need to prepare for the CRESCIA WITH CHEESE is the starter dough (lievitino).
Put 1 cup (about 4.2 oz) of flour in a bowl, dissolve the fresh yeast (about 4 tsp) in the warm water with the sugar. Mix until you obtain a compact, smooth dough ball. Place it in a turned-off oven with the light on, covered with plastic wrap, until it doubles in volume — about 1 hour.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or in a large mixing bowl, put the starter dough with the eggs (add them one at a time, incorporating well) and gradually add some of the flour.
Add the grated Parmigiano, the grated Pecorino and the grated Emmental, the salt, the pepper; after working everything well, add the lard and the oil. Only when everything is well combined, add the diced Emmental.
Place again in a turned-off oven with the light on, covered with plastic wrap, until it doubles in volume.
When the dough has risen, place it on a lightly floured surface and, with your fingertips, gently press to release the bubbles caused by the carbon dioxide.
Quickly but carefully reshape into a ball. Place it inside the mold (if you are using an aluminum mold, grease it thoroughly with lard) and put it in a turned-off oven with the light on, covered with plastic wrap, until doubled in size — about 2 hours.
Preheat the oven (conventional mode) to 392°F. Place a small saucepan of water in the oven (on the bottom) to prevent the dough from drying out too much while baking.
Bake for about 45 minutes. Remove your fragrant crescia with cheese from the oven and let it cool completely before unmolding and slicing.
