The stuffed Easter braid is a soft, irresistible savory bread ideal for Easter celebrations or outdoor picnics.
The dough is very easy to make and has the texture of pan brioche but is a soft bread, therefore tasty and light. The filling I prepared is made of cured meat, cheese and olives, but you can replace these ingredients with those you prefer.
For Easter, leavened breads are a must. To decorate your table during the holidays have fun making the pan brioche ring with cooked ham and mozzarella, the savory tart with vegetable roses or the muffins with speck and smoked provola, simple recipes that will make your table or buffet special.
To make the stuffed braid even more indulgent I placed 4 hard-boiled eggs on top to symbolize “rebirth” and they can also be a wish for prosperity.
Here are some recipes to try for Easter and Easter Monday:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 8 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter, Spring
- Energy 241.47 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 29.03 (g) of which sugars 0.78 (g)
- Proteins 11.28 (g)
- Fat 9.46 (g) of which saturated 2.95 (g)of which unsaturated 3.85 (g)
- Fibers 1.71 (g)
- Sodium 502.11 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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
I made this recipe many years ago; back then I often used Manitoba blended with a type 0 flour, but if you prefer you can replace them with a pizza flour or a flour around 280 W. In that case you will probably need to adjust the water because each flour has a different absorption capacity.
- 2 1/2 cups Manitoba flour
- 2 1/2 cups Type 0 flour
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 oz fresh yeast
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 oz diced speck
- 3 1/2 oz Edam (small dice)
- 3 1/2 oz black olives
- 4 eggs
- 1 2/3 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 2/3 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 2/3 tbsp mixed seeds
- as needed milk (for brushing the surface)
Tools
- 1 Work surface
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Bowl large
- 1 Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Directions
You can make the stuffed Easter braid either by hand or with a stand mixer — work it however you prefer.
Sift the flours onto the work surface and make a classic well. Put the crumbled yeast in the center of the well and begin to knead with room-temperature water. When the yeast is well incorporated, add the oil and the salt and continue kneading until you obtain an elastic dough.
Oil a bowl with a little oil, place the dough ball in the center and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rise until doubled in volume (about 2 hours).
Turn the risen dough out onto the work surface, take a piece (about 3 1/2 oz) and roll it into a cord; this will be used to secure the eggs on top of the braid.
How to shape the stuffed Easter braid
Divide the remaining dough into three equal parts, form three cylinders about 18 in long and flatten them with the rolling pin to form three rectangles about 3–4 in high. Fill each rectangle with a different filling (olives, cheese and speck), roll them up on themselves and close the ends by pressing with your hands.
Place the three rolls side by side, brush them with milk and sprinkle them with the seeds. Braid them, taking care not to dislodge the seeds, form a ring and join the ends.
Place the braid on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, arrange the 4 raw eggs on the ring and secure them with strips of dough made from the cord you set aside earlier. Be sure to wash the eggshells before placing them on the dough.
Bake the stuffed braid for 35–40 minutes in a preheated static oven at 356°F. Check the baking occasionally; if the surface becomes too dark, cover it with aluminum foil (do not open the oven before 20–25 minutes, otherwise you will stop the rising process).
When the stuffed Easter braid is golden, remove it from the oven, let it cool slightly and serve.
Tips
Storage
You can keep the pan brioche braid at room temperature for 2 days well covered so that the air doesn’t dry out the crumb, or you can freeze it already portioned after removing the hard-boiled eggs.
You can then heat it in the microwave and enjoy it as if it were just baked.
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