Original Neapolitan Casatiello: the traditional Easter recipe, soft and rich in cured meats and cheeses.
Hi everyone and welcome back to my kitchen!
Today I take you on a journey into the heart of Neapolitan culinary tradition to discover a true symbol of Easter: the Rustic Neapolitan Casatiello.
This savory leavened bread, rich and flavorful, is much more than a simple recipe; it is a ritual passed down from generation to generation, a hymn to conviviality and authentic flavors that absolutely cannot be missing from a festive table.
As with any respected traditional recipe, there are countless variants of Casatiello, each jealously guarded.
But the one I offer you today is the original savory casatiello recipe, a true treasure I had the honor to learn directly from Mrs. Rosa, a friendly and wise Neapolitan old lady, a real master of the Neapolitan tradition. Watching her at work and learning her secrets was a privilege I want to share with you today.
Its preparation is simpler than you might imagine, and you can even knead by hand, without the need for a stand mixer.
Just combine the ingredients, knead with love, and then fill with a triumph of good-quality cheeses and cured meats — the real secret for a super-indulgent Casatiello.
Perfect for Easter lunch, for the Easter Monday picnic or for a rich Sunday buffet, it is delicious warm or cold, when all the aromas and flavors have perfectly melded. Are you ready to bring a piece of history and authentic flavor to the table?
RUSTIC NEAPOLITAN CASATIELLO
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: tube pan diameter 9 in
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 3.98 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 0.30 (g) of which sugars 0.10 (g)
- Proteins 0.18 (g)
- Fat 0.24 (g) of which saturated 0.11 (g)of which unsaturated 0.11 (g)
- Fibers 0.04 (g)
- Sodium 54.34 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 175 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
- 5 cups 00 flour
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 3/8 cups water (warm)
- 1 1/3 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp lard (or oil or butter)
- 5.3 oz pecorino (in one piece)
- 5.3 oz Neapolitan salami
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (grated)
- to taste black pepper (ground)
- 1 egg
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Bowl
- Small bowl
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Rolling pin
- Plastic wrap
- Tea towel
- Tube pan
- Small bowl
- Pastry brush
- Cooling rack
How to prepare the original Neapolitan Casatiello
Cut the pecorino into 1 cm (about 3/8 in) dice, slice the salami, remove the rind and cut it into cubes as well.
Place the sifted flour in a bowl, add the dehydrated yeast and 1 teaspoon of honey to activate it, and mix with your hands.
In a separate bowl, dissolve the salt well in the warm water called for in the recipe.
Add the lard to the bowl with the flour, then begin pouring the salted water in a thin stream while continuing to knead.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and work it until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous consistency.
Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 hours (the dough should double in volume).
Transfer it again to the floured surface and fold it onto itself two or three times.
At this point roll the dough with a rolling pin into a rectangle and place it on a clean tea towel.
Spread the grated Parmigiano, the pecorino and the cubed salami and ground black pepper all over the surface, leaving a 2 cm (about 3/4 in) margin along the long side of the rolled-out dough,
Using the towel to help you, roll the dough onto itself until you form a log.
Place the dough log into a previously buttered tube pan and brush the surface with a beaten egg.
Let it rise for another hour, then bake it in a preheated static oven at 375°F for about 45 minutes.
Baking times depend on the oven type and the pan size; if halfway through baking the surface is getting too dark, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Once baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely before removing it from the pan.
The purist’s touch: cicoli and “imprisoned” eggs
If you want to take your Casatiello to 100% Neapolitan authenticity, there are two small tweaks you can adopt.
THE CICOLI
The first concerns cicoli (pork cracklings): for a truly authentic flavor, you can replace 50 g of salami with the same quantity of pork cicoli. During baking they will release a very tasty fat that will make the dough even more moist and fragrant.
THE EGGS
The second touch concerns the iconic eggs on top. Although the “plain” version is more practical, tradition calls for 4 or 5 whole eggs (washed and well dried) set into the ring before the final rise. To do this, make small depressions in the log already placed in the pan, lay the raw egg in place and secure it with two strips of leftover dough crossed in an “X”. This symbol, representing the cross, is not only decorative: the eggs will bake perfectly in the oven along with the bread, becoming one with your Casatiello. A little extra effort that will transform your recipe into a true masterpiece of Neapolitan tradition.
COOKING TIPS
Preheat the oven to 400°F, then lower it to 375°F and bake the casatiello for about 45 minutes. Use the oven in static mode and place the casatiello in the middle of the oven. Check occasionally starting at 35 minutes. Times may vary depending on the oven in use.
If you see it coloring too much after 30/35 minutes, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the surface and finish baking.
VARIATIONS
The traditional recipe calls for lard, but you can replace it with butter or extra-virgin olive oil in the same amount, i.e. 6 tbsp (80 g).
For the filling you can choose to add other cured meats such as pancetta or ham and other cheeses such as scamorza. I recommend avoiding very watery stretched-curd cheeses like mozzarella.
STORAGE
Once baked, the casatiello can be stored covered with plastic wrap and under a cake dome for 1-2 days at room temperature. You can enjoy it cold or slightly warmed in the oven.
It can be frozen once baked, preferably already sliced. In that case, before enjoying it I recommend reheating it in the oven or toaster.
To view other recipes return to the home page by clicking here https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/
If you love Neapolitan cuisine you’ll surely adore the NEAPOLITAN PASTIERA
Can I prepare the Casatiello in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the dough the day before and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, bring the dough to room temperature and proceed with the filling and the second rise.
Which cured meats and cheeses can I use for the filling?
Tradition calls for Neapolitan salami and pecorino, but you can personalize it with cicoli, provolone, or other hard cheeses and cured meats you prefer. Avoid very watery cheeses like mozzarella.
Why didn’t my Casatiello rise properly or why is it dense?
The most common causes are inactive yeast, a proving temperature that is too low or too high, or under-kneading. Make sure the water is warm and the environment is warm and free of drafts during rising.
